KUNG FU PANDA: Kung Fu White Tiger
by TheTombedSpirit
Summary: Lotus has lived in the Jade Palace, ever since Master Oogway found her when she was a cub. But she always wondered what her purpose was. When Oogway appoints her as the Dragon Warrior, and her former friend, Tai Lung, breaks out of prison, it's up to her to stop him, and defend the Valley of Peace and the Dragon Scroll. (Plot Change-Genderbend-Species Swap-Tiger(Male Tigress)xLotus
1. Prolouge

**KUNG FU PANDA: Kung Fu White Tiger.  
**

 **Summary:** Basically Kung Fu Panda, but with a few Genderbends, Plot Changes, and Specie Changes.  Lotus has always lived in the Jade Palace, ever since her adoptive grandfather, Master Oogway found her when she was cub, and was raised with Tai Lung, until his betrayal. But she always wondered what her purpose was. When Oogway appoints her as the Dragon Warrior, and her former friend breaks out of prison, it's up to her to stop Tai Lung, and defend the Valley of Peace and the Dragon Scroll.

* * *

 **Prologue.**

Oogway was meditating by the Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom.

As he meditated, he kept on thinking about Shifu's student, Tai Lung. Everyday Tai Lung was growing stronger and stronger, and more determent to become the Dragon Warrior.

Oogway inwardly sighed. His desire would turn him dark. He tried to tell his friend, but Shifu saw Tai Lung as his son. He believed that he was destined for greatness. But Shifu knew that power could cloud the mind and turn it as dark as night. He knew from experience when his best friend and brother in arms, Kai, turned against everything he fought for, to steal all the Chi he could, when White Tigers healed him and trained him to use and give Chi. But Kai only wanted more, so he banished him to the Spirit Realm.

It was the hardest thing he ever had to do.

He feared that Shifu would experience the same pain, if he didn't stop turning Tai Lung into what he was becoming. His excessive pride was filling Tai Lung's heart with darkness. But the Red Panda was blinded with too much pride to see.

He heard the sound of frantic footsteps coming towards him, and without turning greeted his visitor.

"Good to see you, Mr. Ping." he greeted the Goose.

Mr. Ping was the Jade Palace's head chief and made sure that the students were well feed. His specialty? Noodles and his 'Secret Ingredient Soup'. He considered his job his life, and revolved his entire life on cooking, and relished the praises he gets for his cooking. He was on good terms with Oogway, but Shifu was a bit of a hard shell.

Today, he looked tired from running as he carried a crate with a Radish picture on it.

"Is their something wrong, my friend?" the Tortoise asked, finally turning to look at him, rather calmly, before noticing the crate. "Are we running low on Radishes again?" he asked teasingly, but the Goose shook his head.

"It's not the Radishes that I'm worried about this time." he told him as he set the crate in front of him, "It's what's I found inside this crate that worries me." he stepped back, as Oogway slowly approached the crate, which was covered in a bit of cloth. Slowly, he lifted the cloth and pulled it away, almost dropping it in shock when he saw what it was.

It was a White Tiger cub, wrapped up in a blue blanket, a picture of a Lotus on the left side. Oogway studied the infant with watchful eyes. It was female, that much he could tell, and was crying slightly as she struggled to get out of her bindings. He looked at her for a bit longer, before starting to smile, when she opened her eyes, to reveal a beautiful blue, and they shimmered with joy as she smiled at him, making him chuckle. She managed to pull her arms free from the wrappings, and reached out to him, clapping her paws together for emphasis.

He chuckled, leaning down and picking her up, cradling her in his arms, as Ping watched with a small smile, finding the scene in front of him, very cute. Before he frowned.

"What do we do with her, Master?" he asked. Oogway smiled.

"I'll take her in and raise her as my granddaughter and student. Who knows, maybe _she's_ the one to become the Dragon Warrior." he chuckled, before the cub started to whimper as she started gnawing on her fingers. He chuckled again.

"Why don't you whip up some of your famous 'Secret Ingredient' Soup for our little friend?" Oogway asked, smiling as he handed the baby to the Goose, who smiled as the two walked towards the Jade Palace.

"What do you plan on naming her?" the cook asked, to which the Tortoise smiled.

"Lotus. I like Lotus."

* * *

 **I've been thinking about doing this for a while now, and I hope you like it! It basically has the same plot as the original movies, with some changes, Genderbends, Species Changes, but hopefully, it'll still be good!  
**


	2. Kung Fu Training

**KUNG FU PANDA: Kung Fu White Tiger.  
**

 **Prologue Part 2.  
**

 **Kung Fu Training.**

* * *

 **Two Years Later.  
**

Lotus smiled as she watched Tai Lung beat the stuffing out of the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors. She was two years old now, and had shown a talent in Kung Fu, and as Oogway promised, took her under his wing, teaching her the ways of Kung Fu and Honer. She wore a dark blue tunic with black vine patterns and pants. She also had a blue Lotus behind her right ear.

"Focus, Lotus." she snapped out of her admiring by Oogway, who was watching her before she zoned out, and she turned back to one of the training equipment. The Adversary. Or in her case, a dummy. With a playful growl, she pounced on it and then gave a kick. It was pushed back with great force, hitting the wall with a thud.

She looked at him with a happy look, and he smiled in return.

"Much like Tai Lung, you are getting stronger, the more you grow." he told her, before looking over to the Snow Leopard in question, before taking on a sad look as Tai Lung looked at Master Shifu and smiled, as he looked at his student and son with pride.

"Grandpa? What's wrong?" Lotus asked, looking at her adoptive grandfather with concern, but he shook his head, and walked away, gesturing for her to follow, to which she did.

"Grandpa?" Oogway sighed.

"I fear that Tai Lung would be filled with to much pride to see clearly. But that might just come with old age." he chuckled, making Lotus giggle.

"Your not _that_ old Grandpa!"

"I beg to differ, young lady. I'm a hundred years old!" they chuckled and giggled some more, before a orange Butterfly flew by and caught Lotus's attention. She growled playfully and attempted to catch it, giggling as she did, making Oogway smile at her with joy. Such pure innocence.

"Soups on everybody!" they both turned to see Mr. Ping, over by the Lobby. They smiled, and made their way over, Shifu and Tai Lung following soon after.

* * *

 **Lobby.**

Everyone sat quietly as they ate some Dumplings with a side of Ping's 'Secret Ingredient' Soup. Lotus couldn't help but notice the glares that Tai Lung was giving her. What was his problem? What did she do? She was about to ask what was wrong when he spoke up.

"What is Lotus's purpose here anyhow?" he asked, shocking all of them, including Ping, who was walking by with replenishment when he spoke, and Oogway, who softly glared at him, but kept himself calm.

"Whatever do you mean, Tai Lung? This is her home." he chuckled, but it was a bit forced. Tai Lung continued to look at Lotus, as if asking for a challenge.

"I still don't understand why she is here. She's not going to be a great Kung Fu Master at the rate she's going. She even admitted that she didn't _want_ to be the Dragon Warrior!" He growled, making Lotus tremble as he jumped from her pillow to hide behind Oogway, who had stood up and stood protectively.

"So... What is her purpose?" Tai Lung growled, but knew not to attack Master Oogway.

"Well, Tai Lung, everyone has a purpose in this world. But sometimes it ain't that easily found." With that, Oogway left, pushing a very upset Lotus ahead, Shifu stayed to scold his son.

* * *

"Do not listen to what he says, Lotus. His pride in his skill, and Shifu's belief that he'll become the Dragon Warrior has clouded his mind, and made him think he is above others, when in reality, he is as low as his words." Oogway told her wisely, but it didn't make her feel better.

"I know. But why does he have to be so mean. He never talks, he never plays, he just trains and trains and trains, hoping that one day, he might be so good that he'll be the Dragon Warrior." Lotus ranted, before sighing, "Personally, I think he doesn't deserve to be Dragon Warrior if he's gonna keep that attitude of his."

Oogway placed a hand on his granddaughter's shoulder, "As do I, Lotus. As do I."

They continued walking towards the bedrooms, unknown to the pair of glowing yellow eyes glaring at them in the shadows, as the figure growled hatefully.


	3. A New Student, Son and Friend

**KUNG FU PANDA: Kung Fu White Tiger.  
**

 **Prologue Part 3.  
**

 **A New Student, Son, and Friend.**

* * *

 **Four Months Later.**

Lotus punched the Adversary lightly, as to not damage it. Her mind kept wondering to her grandfather's dear friend Shifu.

He has been absent for four months, and when she had asked where he was going, he told her that he had a business to attend to at Bao Gu Orphanage. Something about a young cub that needs his assistance. Lotus wondered what cub could possibly need his help.

While he was away, Tai Lung stilled trained by himself, refusing to talk to her, or Oogway. Then again, what else is new?

Suddenly she heard the doors open, and an excited smile entered her face. Shifu must be back!

Dropping everything, she got on her fours and made a dash for the entrance.

"Master Shifu! I'm so glad your..." she trailed off when she made a turn around the corner, and saw he wasn't alone.

Standing beside the Red Panda was a Tiger cub. He was a male, with amber eyes and the usual coloring of a Tiger, wearing a burgundy red tunic and black pants. He looked a little awkward, while Shifu just stared.

"Lotus, this is Tiger, he is the cub I informed to you that needed my guidance. And I suppose, my newest son." he introduced, smiling lightly, while Lotus looked a little starstruck. Shifu then turned to the cub in question. "Tiger, this is Lotus. She is the granddaughter of the headmaster of the Jade Palace, Master Oogway, and is a fellow student. I'm sure you'll get along well." he told him, before hearing Lotus squeak in surprise, and a bit of fear, and turned to see Tai Lung just standing there, arms crossed, and glare set on, as Lotus ran off, and hide around the corner to spy.

"Ah! Tai Lung! Glad your here. I like to introduce you to your new little brother, Tiger. He will be taking residence here in the Jade Palace, and will be the newest member to this generation of the Furious Five." he kept on smiling, but Tai Lung's glare deepened, before borrowing his eyes into Tiger's, who immediately felt self conscious.

Tai Lung sighed, "Very well." with that, he walked off, leaving the two alone.

Shifu turned to look at the cub, "Do not worry, Tiger. He'll grow on you eventually. And Lotus will certainly enjoy having you here as part of our little family. Now, I'll leave you to explore a bit, but be back here by sunset. I have somewhere else to be. Goodbye Tiger." and with that he left, leaving Tiger alone.

Lotus decided to make herself known, as Tiger began looking around, looking a little lost.

"Hey." he jumped and spun around, looking like he got caught stealing the cookie jar.

Lotus giggled. "I'm Lotus, but you already knew that. Tiger, right?" he nodded, calming down a bit.

Lotus smiled, "Want me to show you around?" Tiger nodded, so Lotus grabbed his paw and dragged him around, him loosing his footing as she went.

After showing him the places he needed to know about the most, and Tiger slowly but surely, started to enjoy her chirpy attitude. It was better then-

"Tai Lung!" came Lotus's surprised yelp, and he looked up to see his new elder brother, looking down at them with lethal glares.

"Watch where your going, you worthless little cub." Tai Lung growled, as Lotus looked at the ground frightfully. Tiger didn't like how his new friend was being put down. "Why Oogway keeps you around, I'll never know!"

"Hey! Leave her alone!" Tai Lung seemed to freeze, before slowly looking at his brother, who held a look of determination, but it faltered a bit under his glare.

"What. Did you say? Little cub?" Tiger gulped, steeling his courage.

"I said 'leave her alone'." Tai Lung looked down at him, looking ready to kill.

He started to growl, as Lotus and Tiger stood together, looking very scared right now.

A fake cough sounded in the hall, making them look up to see Oogway.

Tai Lung straightened up, bowing, before leaving in a haste.

Lotus giggled. "Hi Grandpa!" She rushed over to him and hugged him tightly, to which he responded positively. Tiger was a bit out of place, seeing such a happy family.

"Ah." Tiger jumped when Oogway directed his attention to him, "You must be the cub Shifu has been helping. Tiger, yes?" Tiger nodded, feeling even more like a shadow. Oogway chuckled lightly.

"Do not worry about Tai Lung, young one. You'll fit in just fine." Lotus nodded vigorously, a happy smile on her face that seemed to light up his world.

He too thought he was gonna fit in just fine.

* * *

 **I'm so sorry I took so long. It's just I've been so wrapped up in my HTTYD FanFics and my BH6 FanFics, and trying to get new FanFics up, and having a writer's block on a lot of stories that people are basically demanding I get back to them, that I just haven't had the time.  
**


	4. Tai Lung's Betrayal

**KUNG FU PANDA: Kung Fu White Tiger.  
**

 **Prologue Part 4.  
**

 **Tai Lung's Betrayal.**

* * *

 **Jade Palace.  
**

The entire valley was in a panic.

Tai Lung had completed his training and Shifu presented him to Oogway.

But Oogway didn't agree with his choice of Warrior.

Tai Lung snapped right there.

Outraged, he began to lay waste to the Valley of Peace, and was beginning to approach the Jade Palace.

"How could this have happened?! How could this have happened?!" Shifu continued to mutter, as Lotus and Tiger watched him worryingly, staying at Ping's side, as he run his wings frightfully. Oogway stared at the Moon Pool expressionlessly.

"Grandpa? What's gonna happen to us?" Oogway smiled reassuringly.

"Do not worry, dear child. Everything will be just-"

He was cut off when a roar that could rival thunder echoed in the hall as Tai Lung burst through the doors, and made his way towards the Pool and the Scroll.

Shifu looked frightened for a split second, before steeling himself, and lept into action, leg raised to preform a deadly kick.

But then he hesitated. This was his student. His _son._ How could he hurt him?

Unfortunately, Tai Lung didn't have the same reservations.

He knocked him off balance, and then pushed him away with a deadly punch, sending him flying.

"Dad!" Tiger made to get to him, but Lotus held him back by the arm.

Tai Lung then leaped for the scroll, but Oogway got there first, and seemed to freeze time with his staff to his chest. He then preformed some Chi moves on his chest, and then landed gracefully on the floor, Tai Lung landing on his stomach, unconscious.

Shifu could only stare in shock and heartbreak. He reached out to touch him, but relented, and then turned away. He couldn't look at him.

Tiger was just as mortified. Though he didn't talk or got along with him very well, Tai Lung was still his brother, and he had looked up to him, despite his rude and gloating nature.

Lotus didn't know what to think. A part of her was sad that Tai Lung couldn't achieve his dreams of becoming the Dragon Warrior. But another part of her was filled to the brim with anger. How could he do this!? Throw aside everything he was taught, break every vow he made, just because he was sore Oogway refused him the Scroll?!

Oogway was silent when the Chorh-Gom Prison Guards came and took Tai lung away, but inside he was sad.

If his heart wasn't filled with so much pride and hate, he might have been a great Warrior.

He sighed, patted Shifu's shoulder gently, and then walked away.

Lotus watched worryingly.

* * *

 **The Next Morning.  
**

So far, after Tai Lung's attack, the Valley and the Jade Palace was slowly returning to normal. Well, kind of...

Tiger performed a few tricks, getting himself ready, before throwing a steady punch at the Adversary.

He turned to smile at a grim looking Shifu. "How was that, Father?"

But Shifu just kept that expression on his face. "Your stance is off, and you punch was out of place. Make sure to fix that." he told him, making his smile drop. "And things have changed, Tiger. From now on, you'll just call me 'Master'. Understand?"

Tiger looked even more hurt, but none the less, nodded. "Yes Master..."

"Good." then he turned his back and limped away.

Tiger looked upset, before he clenched his fist into a ball, and let out heart broken roar. Much like how he used to at the orphanage.

He breathed deeply, fists still clenched, before a white paw grabbed hold of it gently, making him look to see Lotus.

"He's just upset over what happened to You-Know-Who." Shifu had forbidden them to even speak his name since what happened. "Just give him some time to adjust to the situation and I'm sure everything will go back to normal."

A week had passed.

And the words 'father' or 'son' still weren't heard.

* * *

 **A Week Later.  
**

Tiger was now outside the Jade Palace, throwing some punches at the Iron Wood Trees. When he started this, Lotus thought he was just getting the frustration of Shifu's neglecting off his chest. But, he's been doing it none stop, and it was worrying her.

"Tiger?" he paused, indicating that he was listening. "Tiger, come on. You've been doing this all week. Why don't we go play with the dominoes? Huh?" that was Lotus's and Tiger's favorite game to play. Stacking up the dominoes and then knocking them down, and seeing what patterns they made.

"No." he spoke flatly, and continued to punch the tree.

"Um... Okay... How about 'Furious Five' then?" That was another game they played. They would play as past Furious Five members, or even as themselves as Masters and 'protect' the Valley of Peace.

"No."

"Okay then. How about-"

"No! I don't want to play any games with you Lotus! They're a waste of time!" he yelled, and Lotus could of sworn she heard her heart crack. "Now, if you'll excuse me, I need to train." he continued punching, while Lotus looked completely heartbroken.

"O-okay..." her voice started to crack, making Tiger slow his action but not stop. She turned her head to him one last time, "Goodbye, Tiger." and with that, she ran, stop sobs escaping her and catching his ears.

Tiger sighed, turning around to look where she took off.

"I'm sorry, Lotus." he whispered. "But I need to become stronger. So I can protect the Valley... so I can protect you..."

No-one heard his vow as he continued training.

Well, except for a certain Goose who was collecting Carrots for some soup.

* * *

 **My own heart kinda broke when I wrote the last bits. Hope you liked them!  
**


	5. The New Furious Five

**KUNG FU PANDA: Kung Fu White Tiger.  
**

 **Prologue Part 5.  
**

* * *

 **The New Furious Five.  
**

 **Five Days Later.**

 **Viper.**

 **The Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom.**

Lotus was still very upset with her fall out with Tiger. She just couldn't believe that he would say something like that! She really thought he was her friend! But she supposed she was wrong. Tiger had tried to approach her afterwards, but she wouldn't have any of it and would growl at him before running off, leaving a hurt cub behind.

The way she saw it, he made his choice. She was being stubborn when an annoying voice that kinda sounded like Mr. Ping saying that she'll have to forgive him eventually.

Oogway was out somewhere in some village that had Great Master Viper as it's protector. She wasn't sure why. He only said that things won't be so quite around here anymore.

Lotus was currently trying to find what Oogway called 'Inner Peace'. After her fallout with Tiger, she felt she needed some work on the particular subject.

"Lotus." she quickly opened her eyes excitedly and spun around to face her grandfather, but was surprised to see a young female viper by his side. She had cheerful blue eyes, yellowish-green scales with a black tail and a white underbelly. She wore two pink lotuses on her head and looked rather cute.

Lotus plastered a smile on her face, and rushed over to the old Tortoise and hugged his leg tightly making him chuckle as he patted her head lightly.

"Lotus, this is Viper, daughter of the Great Master Viper. She will be a part of the Furious Five when the time is right." he introduced the snake, who smiled brightly. Lotus smiled back, but it was a little strained.

"I'll let you two get to know each other, and Lotus, if you could, could you show her around? Shifu likes to have a word with me."

With that, he left, leaving the two girls.

Lotus looked around nervously. She could tell that Viper was a little unfamiliar with the new place, and knew she shouldn't treat her wrongly because of what Tiger said to her. That would make her as bad as You-Know-Who.

"So, I guess I better show you around." Viper smiled and nodded.

Hopefully they could get along fine.

* * *

 **A Few Minutes Later.  
**

 **The Training Hall.**

They were actually getting along really well. Instead of dull silence, there was now light giggling ringing in the training hall.

Viper was right now showing Lotus her ribbon dancing, and she had to say, Lotus understood why Viper was known as the best Ribbon Dancer back at her village.

After she finished with a fancy twirl, she passed it to Lotus. "Give it a try."

Lotus smiled, and twirled around in circles for a bit, before she noticed a pair of bright orange eyes staring at her from the darkness.

"C'mon Viper. Let me show you the Master Garden. It's getting dark and it looks beautiful at night."

"Okay!" and they rushed off, the white cat desperate to get out of the same room as the tiger cub.

* * *

 **Three Years Later.**

 **Crane.**

Lotus was watching Viper train against Tiger, with Shifu watching. Oogway was away again, saying he was heading off to Lee Da Kung Fu Academy. Lotus guessed that he went their to probably get another student to be a part of the Furious Five.

When they were finished, Tiger looked over to Lotus, hoping to see a reaction to the exceptional display he demonstrated. But he only got a dull glare, before she turned to Viper and smiled, that was returned. He looked down, before they all heard doors open, and Oogway and a crane walked in. The crane was wearing blue trousers and a straw hat. He seemed like a nice fellow.

"Hey, Grandpa!" she hugged him and purred, as he chuckled and patted her head.

"Everyone, this is Crane. He'll be a part of the new Furious Five as well." Crane lifted one of his legs up and waved shyly. The girls smiled and waved back(nodded in Viper's case), while Tiger just looked him over. As though studying him.

"Now, if you'll all excuse me, I'm going to have some tea and noodles with Ping. Carry on, Shifu." he then went off, Ping waiting for him before they went around the corner.

"So, uh..." Crane started, rubbing his neck with his claw, "What do you guys do for fun?"

"There won't be much fun to have here, Crane. At Lee Da Kung Fu, they may allow you to take time off, but not here." Shifu told him sternly, before going off. Crane now looked even more out of place, as Tiger followed his Master out, as stoic as ever.

"Don't worry about them." Crane turned to Lotus, who had a reassuring smile, "Shifu has been too focused on training the true Dragon Warrior to think about fun anymore, and Tiger is determent to be that true Warrior. Don't worry, it'll get easier."

Crane smiled, as did the girls.

And Lotus's heart was slowly beginning to heal.

* * *

 **A Few Months Later.  
**

 **Monkey.**

Oogway once again went off to a far off village on a call to help out with the village trouble maker, who won't stop pranking the villagers. And anyone they hire to get rid of him, he defeats them and takes their belts as souvenirs, making the hired guns leave the village without their pants.

Lotus found it funny.

She was currently sitting on one of the railings on the ceiling, watching Crane and Tiger fight on the Jade Tortoise of Wisdom, while Viper braved the Field of Fiery Death. Lotus was holding a Book on Medicine as she watched.

She planned on being the Jade Palace's Medicine Woman, and maybe thought of taking up Soothsaying. She may have trained in some parts of Kung Fu, but that was so she knew how to defend herself in certain situations. Like You-Know-Who said long ago, she wasn't interested in fighting or in becoming the Dragon Warrior. She just wanted as much of a normal life as she could here.

She then heard a rough chuckle, and looked around, before looking back down at the Tortoise, before noticing something on the rim of the bowl. And Tiger was about to step on it.

"Watch out!"

Her warning came too late.

Tiger slipped on the banana peel and fell into the Tortoise, while Crane took to the air, surprise on his face. Viper looked over, before slipping on a peel herself and flew right into the Adversary.

Lotus tried to contain her giggles, but someone was full blown laughing, and Lotus looked over at another railing to see a monkey. Golden Snub-nosed Monkey with blue eyes, golden, yellow and white fur, with black skin. He wore brown wrist bracers, a golden waste sash and reddish brown pants. And he was on his back, legs kicking wildly as he laughed.

It clicked right there for Lotus. He was the culprit.

"Hey! INTRUDER!" Tiger roared and flipped his way up to the railings and grabbed him by the shoulders, before pulling a fist back to punch him...

"Tiger!"

Tiger froze and looked down at Oogway, who looked stern and defensive, before returning to his normal calm stature.

"Now, if you would kindly release our newest edition. Monkey is merely having some fun." Monkey sniggered, Tiger just growled, before he stepped back and slipped on a stray banana peel and would have hit the floor on his back hadn't Crane grabbed his tail and broke his fall.

Monkey raised an eyebrow. He didn't put that there...

Then he heard some snickers and looked to see Lotus hiding behind the beam he was leaned against, a paw other her mouth trying to hide her giggles.

Monkey smirked.

Maybe the Jade Palace won't be so boring after all.

* * *

 **Two Years Later**

 **Mantis**

Lotus and Monkey were doing some light sparring to help out with their weapons training, Viper Crane and Tiger watching, the former with clenched fists and he watched the two wear smiles on their faces as they sparred.

"Getting a little slow there, Lotus. Need a break?" Monkey taunted with a smirk. Lotus returned one of her own.

"I'll try to keep up." she assured him, before rushing over to lock staffs with him, Monkey doing the same, yelling war cries as they did.

Only for a third staff to intervene.

They were confused, before turning to what they thought might be Tiger or even Shifu, but were instead met with a little green mantis. He smirked, before flipping their staffs into the air, rendering them defenseless.

They stared at their air born weapons, before looking down at the bug. He smirked and brought out his pincer to taught them towards him. They glared and nodded to each other and held their hands out for their falling weapons.

They caught them flawlessly and engaged with the small insect. They sparred for a good bit, until they were breathing heavily and could only lean on their staffs.

Some clapping was then heard. And they turned to the slow clapping of Oogway and the happy clapping of Ping.

"Impressive first appearance, Mantis." Mantis bowed humbly, a smirk on his face as everyone bowed in Oogway's presence, before Lotus rushed over and hugged him.

"Everyone, this is Mantis. He'll be the last edition to the Furious Five. I except that you welcome him into our little family." Oogway announced, walking away with Shifu to talk, while Ping went to get some soup after a hard day of sparring.

"So, this is where I'll be staying? Homey." Mantis commented, zipping on Crane's hat, looking around. Lotus chuckled, before holding a hand out for him and he climbed on.

"I think your gonna like it here." and Lotus began showing the bug around. All the while, Tiger watched with clenched fists as they went inside the training hall. Ping came back with the soup, and noticed Tiger's hostile glare.

He sighed.

He hoped that Lotus would forgive him before his anger took over.

* * *

With new friends like Crane, Viper, Monkey and Mantis, Lotus's cracked heart was slowly beginning to mend back together. Viper and Lotus shared an interest some forms of fashion and sometimes went to the Valley to see what was on sale at the markets. They normally get things that associated with flowers.

Lotus and Crane shared a passion for art and often spend the night in his room, drawing Chinese symbols or painting beautiful pictures as they talked about random things, mostly complaining about Tiger's attitude over some of Ping's Secret Ingredient Soup.

Monkey and Lotus brought a lot of laughter into the Jade Palace, by grabbing as much prank stuff as they could find from the markets and pulled harmless pranks on many of the group. Except for the stoic Shifu. He'd just punish Monkey with more training.

Lotus and Mantis became joking pals and even comfort buddy's cause sometimes, Tiger trying to talk to her would become to much and she needed someone to cry to when she didn't have her Grandfather, Ping or Viper.

The four of the Five really liked Lotus's company and also knew the tension between her and Tiger and the boys often asked her what happened, but she would never answer, becoming quiet so they backed off.

The going years has been great until after one training session with the Five and Shifu was interrupted when Oogway wanted to see him.


	6. The New Dragon Warrior?

**KUNG FU PANDA: Kung Fu White Tiger.  
**

 **Chapter One: The New Dragon Warrior?  
**

* * *

Lotus was walking with Ping, through the Jade Palace Halls. Shifu and the Five were training at the Training Halls, and Lotus preferred to not be in the same area as Tiger. And honestly, she wanted to talk to Ping for a bit, even if the only thing he talks about is the superiority of his Secret Ingredient Soup.

"I really wish I could tell you Lotus. Really I do. But the secret ingredient for the Secret Ingredient Soup is just too secret to fall into the wrong hands." Ping told her, gushing at the thought of his signature dish.

Lotus smiled. "I understand, Ping. Really. Now, let's see how Grandfather is doing."

Lotus had turned into quite the beautiful young Tigress. Her fur was as white as snow, while her stripes rivaled burnt charcoal. Her iridescent blue eyes shone like sapphires. She wore a blue tunic with black vine markings and black pants. And behind her right ear was a single blue lotus.

She really was beautiful, but she never believed it, even if Shifu had said it, which was quite rare.

They then heard the doors open up and close with a thud as Shifu charged in and bowed in respect to Oogway, who was meditating on his staff in a position that many would think twice about. Out on impulse, Lotus and Ping hid behind a pillar.

"Master Oogway. You summoned me. Is something wrong?" Oogway chuckled and slowly got out of his meditation position. "Why must something be wrong for me to want to see my old friend?" he asked playfully.

"So, nothing's wrong?" Shifu asked, making him smile.

"I didn't say that." he told him and started to blow out the candles. But at the pace of... well... a Turtle. He began blowing them out one by one, but there was such a huge amount, and at the pace he was going it would take him all day and all night.

Shifu stared in disbelief before he blew out all the candles in one swift move. "You were saying?"

Oogway stared off at the candle's direction, "I've had a vision." he started, before turning to the younger Headmaster.

"Tai Lung will return."

Shifu froze. Lotus covered her mouth to prevent a gasp and tensed. Ping nearly let out a fearful squawk. Tai Lung will return? But he was in prison! Shifu voiced these thoughts, but Oogway shook his head. "Nothing is impossible."

Shifu breathed heavily, a fearful expression on his face, before he yelled. "Zeng! Fly to Chorh-Gom Prison and tell them to double the guards, double the weapons, double everything! Tai Lung does not leave that prison!"

"Yes Master Shifu!" he took off, only flying into a pillar, before taking off again.

"One often meets his destiny on the road he takes to avoid it." Oogway mused, taking in Shifu's panicked posture, before turning to the Moon Pool.

"We have to do something! We can't just let him march on the Valley, take his revenge! He'll-! He'll-!"

"Your mind is like this water, my friend. When it is agitated, it becomes difficult to see." he told him wisely, towering over the waving pool. "But if you allow it to settle, the answer becomes clear." he told him, then pointing to the ceiling, where the Dragon Scroll still rested.

"The Dragon Scroll."

Lotus stared in wonder. Was Oogway finally going to allow a Dragon Warrior to be named?

"It is time."

"But who? Who is worthy to be trusted with the secret to limitless power? To become the Dragon Warrior?"

Lotus and Ping leaned over, hoping to hear an excellent answer to the excellent question.

"I don't know."

Lotus quietly face palmed, while Ping just walked away, rather dejected.

* * *

 **Outside the Jade Palace.  
**

The moment the announcement was made, the entire Valley was rushing toward the Palace, not once stopping for a breathe when they reached to top of the stairs. Ping had his Noodle Stand out so people can eat while they enjoyed the show, and Lotus stood with Oogway and Shifu, wearing a black rode with white vine patterns by Shifu's instructions.

He said that the Dragon Warrior Ceremony was a special event, and even the Palace Physician should look the part. Didn't stop her complaining. The robe itched her back and neck, and made her feel pudgy. Oogway only chuckled at her complaining.

The Furious Five were in their entrance position, getting ready for their dramatic entrance.

Tiger was pretty excited. This was his chance to show the Valley what he can do. To show Lotus what he can do! To show her what he was trained for, for so long. Maybe impress her.

"It is an historic day. Isn't it, Master Oogway?" Shifu addressed the Headmaster, who smiled.

"Yes, and one I feared I would not live to see. Are your students ready?" he asked, looking out to the waiting crowd, as did Lotus. She wasn't used to seeing so many people in one place.

"Yes Master Oogway." Oogway then turned to him. "Know this, old friend. Whomever I chose will not only bring peace to the Valley, but also to you." Oogway then walked ahead, leaving Shifu and Lotus to exchanged questioning looks. What did he mean?

Then the announcer spoke. "Let the tournament begin!" he banged the gong and the whole Valley cheered as the doors slowly closed. The drums began to play, giving a dramatic feel to the arena.

"Citizens of the Valley of Peace, it is my great honor to present to you... Tiger! Viper! Crane! Monkey! Mantis! The Furious Five!"

They shot out from nowhere, preforming air tricks in the sky, before landing gracefully on their feet, standing in fighting position as Crane let out a gust of wind which closed the windows outside.

"Warriors, prepare! Ready for battle!" Shifu announced as Crane got ready in front of the Thousand Tongues of Fire. The assistance lit the Dragon Head and Crane took flight and dodged each and every firework, even kicking and slapping a few away with his claws and wings.

Then Viper was presented with the Fire Whips of Pain. She defeated them with grace.

Then Mantis was presented with the Giant of a Thousand Fingers. He beat the challenge with great speed.

Then Monkey squared against the Ape of the Valley of Woe. With superior agility, he won.

Then it was Tiger's turn.

He was up against the Iron Ox and his Blades of Death. Or better known as the Juggernaut. The most powerful and difficult Tournament Mechanism. The Geese got in and prepared the giant monstrosity.

Tiger glared at the giant. But for a brief second his gaze cut to Lotus, who looked at the giant in slight fear, and she can't help but worry for her ex-friend.

"I am Tiger. Master of the Tiger Style! I am ready to fight!"

The Juggernaut raised his axes. Tiger growled. The the battle begun.

Tiger dodged the axes with amazing grace, and struck the chest of the beast with immense power. It seemed that the Juggernaut was gonna break soon. But then, something went wrong.

It shut down completely, arms falling to the ground limply, the head bowing down.

The silence was thick, many leaned forward to try and spot what was wrong. Oogway was unresponsive. Shifu was questionable. Lotus was curious, as was Tiger and the rest of the Five.

Had Tiger beating it already?

But then, it jolted, making everyone jump and Tiger got back in a battle position. It raised it's arms again, spinning the axes around, seeming to be glaring down at Tiger. Tiger growled.

It was silent.

Before it creaked as it moved, hitting the buildings at the side with it's axes, causing screams of fear to rang out of the arena.

Lotus was shocked. What was happening!?

Then, one of the control Geese opened the hatch from behind and rushed out.

"IT'S OUT OF CONTROL!"

The crowd screamed and ran towards the doors, trying their best to pry or bang them open as the Juggernaut slowly rolled his way towards the citizens.

"Crane! Mantis! Viper! Get the citizens out of here! Monkey! You and me have to try and slow it down!" The Five nodded at Tiger's orders and rushed into action.

Crane grabbed as much as he can and flew them over the walls. Viper opened the windows and ushered as many kids as she could through the windows. Mantis tried to find a way to force the doors open so everyone could get out.

Monkey grabbed hold of some streamers and tried to ride it like a rodeo. But he was shaking off when it suddenly reared it's head. Tiger tried to get to the main power source, the head, so he can destroy it. He had to destroy it before it hurts someone. Namely Lotus...

But just as he leaped from one limb to reach the head, another one whacked him aside, making him hit the walls and fall into a crumble.

Lotus winched, before a fearful cry ranged out, making her ears perk up at the sound.

Ping!

She spun around to see him trying to run away with his Noodle Cart, but he kept getting caught off.

Lotus began to feel something in the pit of her stomach. Swirling around and nearly making her sick. She heard a noise come from the back of her throat and realized she was growling. Shifu looked over to her when he heard her growl and could see fire in her eyes.

With a roar, she threw her robe off, leaving her in her tunic and pants and rushed over to the endangered Goose on all fours, despite Shifu's protests.

With a leap of faith, she clamped onto the arm raised to finish the cook off, and pulled it back as much as she could, the adrenaline giving her a raw surge of power.

She then leaped off just as another axe made to cut her paws off, and landed by Ping, grabbing him and rushing off. The Noodle Cart be damned.

After placing him near an impressed Oogway and the dumbstruck Shifu, she felt the impulse to rush back into the fight.

And she did.

"Lotus, what are you doing?!"

"Are you out of your mind?!"

"You're going to get yourself killed!"

She heard the protests of the Five, but took no heed to their warnings.

The Juggernaut seemed to bellow in offense that she was attacking. She hissed.

He brought a axe down for an easy chop. She dodged with ease and jumped on. Another axe came to cut her off, but she did a back flip, landing on the attacking arm and hanging on. She waited for last one to attack, only to cartwheel onto it, and doing a series more when another arm tried to knock her off. She jumped on the arm, and leaped over one that tried to do a clean cut near it's wood.

She then spun around the neck, and on instinct, leaped into the air with a twirl and then, her fist glowed a bright gold before she slammed it down on the Juggernaut with a roar.

It blew apart immediately, arms falling off the body, said body crumbling to pieces, falling apart plank by plank. Then the head fell and she jumped off, landing on Tiger and rolled away as the head landed and shattered. The control Geese stood in the middle of the wreckage, shaking and holding each other.

Lotus opened her eyes, only to find herself staring into Tiger amber gold ones as he stood over her, mouth open in shock over what she had done and what position they were in.

They heard Monkey chuckle and looked over to see Monkey and Mantis smirking, Viper smiling, and Crane blocking the scene from his view with his wing.

With a shove, Tiger was off of the flustered Lotus in a matter of seconds, as the citizens stood around them, with gazes of shock and surprise.

Before one little bunny started to clap in celebration. Which followed by the entire audience.

It was then that Lotus had just realized what she had done. She had defeated the Juggernaut. She pretty much saved the entire Jade Palace. And she had so little training, it was amazing that she was able to preform any of those techniques. Then everyone became silent as Master Oogway approached.

"It seems that the Dragon Warrior is among us." Lotus frowned. Shifu gaped, as did the Five. Oogway was pointing at Lotus.

"What? Who?" he chuckled.

"Why, my flower. It is you!" Lotus gasped.

"Me?" Oogway then took Lotus's hand with her staff and raised it for the crowd to see.

"The Universe has brought us our Dragon Warrior!" Lotus froze.

"What?"

"What?!"

"What?!"

The announcer banged the gong, much to Shifu protest, as the whole Valley roared in celebration. Lotus tried to step back, but several Pigs pushed her forward as they brought over a chariot and pushed her to sitting down.

"Oogway! There must be a mistake! Lotus doesn't have the proper training to be a Dragon Warrior! That thing with the Juggernaut has to be a lucky shot! An accident!" Oogway chuckled.

"There are no accidents." he told her, before walking off.

Shifu's eye twitched as the Five approached him.

"Forgive us Master. We have failed you." Tiger said to him, bowing in defeat.

"No. If Lotus does not turn down the title by morning, then I have failed you." and then he walked off.

Tiger honestly didn't know what to think. Should he be happy that Lotus got appointed an almost impossible role? Or should he be enraged that all his training was for not, only for the title to be giving to the one he had been training himself to protect?

To the one he loved?

* * *

 **And BOOM! Lotus is the Dragon Warrior! Oogway is proud. Tiger is conflicted. Shifu is desperate. The Five are surprised. And when Tai Lung finds out, he's gonna be pissed.  
**

 **Stay tuned for more!**


	7. No Time Like the Present

**KUNG FU PANDA: Kung Fu White Tiger.  
**

 **Chapter Two: No Time Like the Present.**

* * *

 **Jade Palace: The Hall of Warriors.  
**

After transporting her all the way to the Jade Palace, they opened the doors and lowered the chariot, tilting it so she was almost thrown off balance. They then backed away and closed the doors, locking her in.

Lotus immediately rushed to the doors and began banging her fists against the mahogany doors, but they were sealed tight.

"Excuse me? I'd like to speak to my grandfather! There has been a mistake! I never intended to be named the Dragon Warrior!" No-one answered her calls. She sighed, and decided to wait for Oogway or Shifu, or even Tiger to come and let her out. Until then, she might as well have a wander around.

She smiled as she looked at the different artifacts that lined the halls of the Hall of Warriors. And there were many. Master Rhino's Armor, the Sword of Heroes, the Invisible Trident of Destiny, paintings hung up on the wall, and the Urn of Whispering Warriors.

Before finally she came up to the Moon Pool. It right now represented her current emotions. She was confused and scared, wondering why on earth Oogway appointed her Dragon Warrior. All she did was throw a lucky punch and defeated the Juggernaut. That was nothing to be appointed for!

And what happened back there anyhow? One minute she was scared that the Juggernaut was gonna wreak havoc on the Valley, but then she saw Ping in danger and it felt like she was a whole different person. Her mind just blacked out and her body seemed to have a mind of it's own.

Looking down at the Pool, she slowly reached forward and tapped it. The ripple effect occurred and the Pool steadied. And showed the reflection of the very thing that started it all. That started Tai Lung's corruption. That started the Dragon Tournament. The very thing that she is supposedly destined to read to gain limitless power.

The Dragon Scroll.

Lotus sighed. "What were you thinking, Grandfather?"

"I've been wondering the same thing."

Lotus let out a startled yelp, and then a small growl, the blue in her eyes fading away to give way to a black void with golden dots.

Shifu raised a curious eyebrow as his morphed into one of surprise, before Lotus realized what she was doing and stood up and bowed her head in embarrassment.

Shifu shook away the surprise and placed his hands behind his back in a formal manner. "So, I suppose your the Dragon Warrior, hmm?" Lotus scoffed. She knew that Shifu wasn't happy about Oogway's choice.

"Don't sugarcoat it, Shifu. I know your just as upset about this predicament as I am."

"Upset?! Furious, more so. I've failed to train you-know-who to be the Dragon Warrior, and look where he is now. I had the chance to make things right, to train the _true_ Dragon Warrior! And I'm stuck with you?! The Palace Physician who only threw a lucky punch?!"

"Okay, Master Shifu, you've made your-"

"How can you possibly wield limitless power with so little training?!"

"I get it, Shifu! You can stop now-"

"How could you possibly fight enemies when all you do is make medicine and crush herbs?!"

Lotus was starting to get angry. Yes, she knew that Shifu had a right to be mad. After Tai Lung's imprisonment, he's been wasting his years trying to train the Five to be the true Dragon Warrior. And he gets stuck with the Palace Physician? But his insulting prods was starting to get to her skin. True she may not have any proper training and the only thing that could be helpful as Dragon Warrior was to heal herself, but Shifu had no right whatsoever to insult her this way.

She felt that unsettling feeling swirling in her stomach again. The same feeling she got when the Juggernaut was about to hurt Ping. Her fist clench as Shifu went on insulting her, her knuckles cracking under the pressure. Her eyes went back to that strange glow from before when Shifu startled her. Her fist became colored in that same golden aura that felled the Juggernaut.

With a roar, she threw a punch in Shifu's direction. Shifu heard her growl and dodged at the last second, but the fist hit the floor, making a crater and a shockwave, sending Shifu back threw the air, but he flipped and landed gracefully.

Lotus huffed and puffed, her currently glowing eyes glaring at Shifu's direction, until she took in his startled expression. With a shuddering sigh, she stood up, her eyes returning to normal as she bowed her head.

Shifu looked curious, and perhaps a bit frightened, but stood up and brushed off the dust.

He stared at her for a bit, before he sighed. "I suppose we can make this work." he said finally, "Come to the Training Hall. Let's see what we can do."

Lotus raised an eyebrow. What was he playing at?

* * *

 **Jade Palace: Training Hall.**

Shifu opened the doors and Lotus followed behind him as they entered the room. And the Five were there right now, training.

Crane was flying through the air, dodging arrows before landing on the Jade Tortoise of Wisdom and deflecting the arrows with his wings. Tiger soon joined him and they started to spar, having excellent balance on them. Mantis was up against the Gauntlet of Wooden Warriors and hit each one with great speed and passed with no injury. Viper was in the Field of Fiery Death and was dodging each fiery blast with grace. Monkey was swinging on the Seven-Talon Rings, swerving and spinning through each one.

Tiger got back to his original test: The Seven Swinging Clubs of Instant Oblivion. He dodged, kicked and punched his way to victory, even punching splinters towards Lotus, who ducked in time before a big chunk could hit her. Lotus looked at the spot the chunk hit the door, before glaring at the orange tiger. Tiger looked like a startled kitten when she growled softly, before he got hit in the face by a swinging club and he roared, getting back in the game.

Shifu noticed and sighed, placing his hands together. "Unfortunately, a death glare won't save you in battle. If you are to be the Dragon Warrior we must improve your skills. So," he gave an evil chuckle as he stared at the arena. "Let's us begin." Lotus stared in shock at him, before looking out into the arena as well.

"Pardon?" as a fire blast went off. "Now?"

"Yes. Now. Unless you believe the great Master Oogway and your _grandfather_ that you are not the Dragon Warrior." Shifu swayed.

Shifu wanted Lotus to give up the title. Not because he wanted her too. He truly believed that with the proper skill, she could actually hold Tai Lung off in a fair fight. But Tai Lung doesn't play fair anymore. His belief has clouded his mind and he will do anything to get the scroll. And Lotus wasn't trained to fight the likes of Tai Lung. Lotus knew that too.

"I understand and respect Oogway as much as you do, Shifu. But you and I both know that I can't do any of the skills they presented." Shifu chuckled.

"Well, we don't know if we don't try, do we?"

"I overheard you and Grandfather before the tournament, Shifu." Shifu froze at Lotus's whisper. "I know what the stakes are. I don't believe I could possibly be the Dragon Warrior, but I trust Grandfather. If I'm ever gonna fight," she looked at the Five still training, before leaning down to him, "You-Know-Who, then I'm gonna have to start from the basics and go from there."

Shifu stared at her, surprised and oddly impressed by the amount of wisdom of her words. Perhaps this could work.

But he would have a lot of work to do.

* * *

 **Later that Night: Student Barracks.**

Lotus was on her way to her room, rubbing her shoulder in pain. She had done a bit of sparring with Crane and Viper, but it did little to improve her skill. They kept going easy on her. She tried to tell them not to, but they were concerned that they would hurt her. She sighed. Maybe tomorrow would bring more promise.

As she strode up the stairs, she heard voices coming from behind her. Panicking for whatever reason, she jumped up some rocks and hide her body. It was the Five. And they were talking about her.

"I don't understand what Master Oogway was thinking." she heard Viper say, "What happens if she gets hurt? Or worse?!" _wow, that hurt._ Lotus thought, but stayed quiet as she lifted herself up to get a better view.

"Viper, relax. Lotus can take care of herself. She's a full grown Tigress now. And even if she _does_ get hurt, she's an expert in healing. So, if she ever does get in a fight, she'll be fine." Crane reassured, trying to stay positive on the subject.

"yeah," Mantis joined the conversation, "And she knows pretty much all the basic moves of Kung Fu, so she can hold her own until back up comes. Right?"

"She did beat the Juggernaut. You should hear the stories going on in the Valley." Monkey started, making Lotus curious. "They're saying that she was fueled by the Dragon's Fury and attacked with such furiosity as one. That she came down on the Juggernaut in a ball of fire! That she is the snowy blizzard in a tiger's body!" the guys chuckled at the stories, while Lotus looked perplexed. They really said all that?

"Tiger?" her ears perked at the mention of her ex-friend's name and listened in, "What do you think about all this?" the Five turned their heads to him, and even the lantern Geese leaned in, curious as to what the leader of the Furious Five had to say. Even Lotus was curious. What would he think about all of this?

At last, Tiger sighed. "I just hope Master Oogway knows what he's doing. For Lotus's sake." he said finally, before walking ahead of them all. The rest of the Five exchanged looks, before following him to the Student Barracks. Lotus slowly slid down from the rock and stared at Tiger's path in surprise.

She thought that he would chew her out behind her back. That he would insult her or something. Anything but worry about her well being. She felt the wall that she put around her heart especially for Tiger crumble a bit.

Could it be possibly that he still... cares about her?

Lotus shook her head and ran away on her fours.

She needed time to think.

* * *

 **The Peace Tree of Heavenly Wisdom.**

Lotus tried to take deep breathes as she searched for inner peace.

So many conflicting emotions was happening all at once and it was starting to scare her. What was this mysterious force that seemed to appear when she gets upset? Why did Oogway choose her? When was Tiger suddenly concerned for her? She didn't know. She just hoped this inner peace thing would kick soon.

"You are upset, my flower."

Lotus jumped a second time that day, but this time, didn't growl. Instead, she stared in surprise at Oogway.

"Grandfather! Wait... Upset? I'm not upset. What makes you think I'm upset?" Oogway smiled comfortingly. "Lotus, I raised you. I know when you are unhappy. So, what troubles you, my flower?" Lotus sighed, as Oogway sat down beside her.

"I'm probably the most hopeless student in the history of Kung Fu. And the Five! They're too concerned! They think I'm gonna get myself killed!"

"Perhaps. But not for a long time, I hope." Lotus chuckled, before ranting again.

"And Tiger. He's confusing me the most. He seems the most concerned, and we're not even friends anymore! Grandfather, what made you think that I could ever be the Dragon Warrior?" she asked, "My claws aren't for scratching. They're for pulling small needles out of a kid's paw. My teeth aren't for biting. They're for eating my meals so I don't starve. My fists!" she clenched them for empathizes, before dropping them on her sides, dejectedly. "They aren't punching training dummies, they're made for crushing herbs." with that final rant, she sat down, staring at the stars.

Oogway placed a hand on her shoulder. "Scratch, don't scratch. Herbs, don't herbs." Lotus looked up at him and raised an eyebrow. What? "My flower, you are too concerned of what was and what will be." he told her, before leaning closer, "There's a saying: Yesterday is history. Tomorrow is a mystery. But today is a gift. That is why it is called the present." he whispered, before patting her head, making her purr a bit, before he walked off, tapping the tree with his staff.

A peace fell into her paw and she looked at it, before looking at where her Grandfather walked off.

She smiled.

She was here to stay. Time for the real training to begin.

And there's no time like the present.

Meanwhile, a certain snow leopard was a step closer to getting what he desires.

The Dragon Scroll.


	8. Broken Memories and Final Wishes

**KUNG FU PANDA: Kung Fu White Tiger.  
**

 **Chapter Three: Broken Memories and Final Wishes.**

* * *

 **Jade Palace: Student Quarters.**

The gong went. It was time to get up.

The Five rushed out of their rooms, backs straight and expressions stoic as Shifu waited. "Good morning, Master!" they spoke in complete unison. Shifu was just as grumpy as usual, as he ordered for the Five to get to the Training Hall on the double.

When they reached the Training Hall, they were a bit surprised to find Lotus already there, helping Ping with breakfast. Or at least, trying to help, but Ping was insisting that he'd cook, with Lotus laughing merrily, making Tiger feel jealous of the goose.

Shifu was feeling something else entirely. "What are you doing here?!" He demanded, scaring the white tiger and the goose out of their wits.

"Ah! Oh, good morning Master Shifu. I just thought I'd help Ping with breakfast." she answered as Ping approached Monkey.

"Made your favorite Master Monkey! Banana glazed noodles!" Ping cheered, making Monkey smile.

"Oh, yeah!" he grabbed it and started wolfing it down. He noticed the stares, and shrugged. "What? I'm a monkey." Shifu scoffed, before turning to Lotus.

"Maybe as a Physician you would be permitted for such tasks as breakfast, but not as a student. You think you can preform a full split stirring noodles? It takes years to develop one's flexibility! And years longer..." Shifu tosses two plates into the air and snaps his fingers. Tiger crouches down, hoping to somewhat impress her, before leaping into the air. "to apply it in combat!" And delivers a split, kicking the plates and shattering them, before landing back on the ground with grace.

Lotus had to admit she was a bit impressed, but she didn't show, and that left Tiger with a disappointed huff. This girl was hard to appease. The crumbs of the two plates rained down on her, one big one hitting her head with a thunk. She grumbled, picking it up and planning on pelting it at the tiger master.

"Put! That! Down!" Shifu demanded, stepping forward, ears folded in irritation. "The only souvenirs we collect here are bloody knuckles and broken bones." Lotus rolled her eyes.

"Ptff, you should talk to interior decorator about that." Shifu then smirked, and Lotus sighed. She should have kept her mouth shut.

"Let's get started." and with a click of his fingers, class began.

First it was her against Viper. The others lined up beside Shifu, as Viper got battle ready and Lotus got ready to defend herself.

"Are you ready?" Viper asked, not wanted to catch her off guard.

"Yeah, let's do-WHOA!" Viper suddenly knocked her off her feet with her tail. But before she could hit the ground, Viper poked her in the stomach, forcing her into somersaults, before Viper slammed her body down.

"Sorry, Lotus! I thought you said you were ready." Viper defended, hoping she didn't hurt her too much.

"I'm fine, Viper. Nothing the Physician can't fi- oh wait, that's me." Lotus giggled, and so did Viper.

Shifu sneered and clicked his fingers again for attention. The two girls turned to him and bowed their heads.

"Monkey! Staff spar! Go!" Monkey nodded and grabbed two staffs, tossing one over to Lotus.

"I'll go easy on you, alright?" Lotus smirked at his mocking tone, "Don't even think about it, Chimp."

"Oh-ho-ho! It's on now!" he did a little acrobatics, before swinging. She blocked a few, but couldn't stop the few swift ones that came after. But otherwise, they were having a good laugh. But Shifu wasn't happy about it. The Jade Palace and the Training Hall wasn't a place for fun! He snapped his fingers once more.

"Lotus! You, Crane, the Jade Tortoise of Wisdom. Now!" the two nodded and rushed off into the hall. After a few moments of finding balance on the bowl, they got ready.

"Don't be nervous. Your going to do fine." Crane assured her, making her smile gratefully. "Thanks Crane."

"Fight!" they began to move, but as soon as they did the bowl tipped and Lotus fell in, producing laughs from everyone. Everyone except Shifu and Tiger of course. Tiger because he was too taking in by Lotus's musical laughter, and Shifu was just getting madder and madder at the fact his students were no longer taking their lessons seriously.

Now it was Lotus vs Mantis. Mantis didn't want to hurt a fellow healer and friend, but Lotus didn't want him to go easy on her either. Kinda regretted it later on. Mantis was moving to fast for her to even notice where she went. Shifu chuckled in satisfaction when she hit the floor, hoping now she'll give up the Warrior title. But then she giggled once more. Apparently Mantis hit a funny bone.

Shifu sneered, "I have been taking it easy on you, Lotus." the white tiger raised an eyebrow in disbelief. That was easy? "But no more. Your next opponent will be me." What? The Five exchanged looks. They almost didn't want to look.

"Step forth." Lotus did as instructed, before Shifu began to spun her around uncontrollably, before slamming her body to the floor. Monkey and Mantis winched. That had to sting.

"The true path to victory is to find your opponent's weakness, and make him suffer for it." Shifu told her, bending her arm to wrong way and lifting her head up. Lotus grunted in pain, and Crane blocked Viper's view of the fight with his wing.

"To take his strength and use it against him." he tossed her around some more, before slamming her body to the ground once more. "Until he finally falls... or quits." he then pins her down, waiting for her to forfeit.

But she said nothing, and actually tried to struggle. Shifu grunted in anger and lifted her upright, before kicking her, sending her flying towards the Training Hall doors. They opened on impact, and she landed near the top of the steps in a bruised and broken heap.

Shifu grunted and went off somewhere. The Five stayed where they were, the only noises being Lotus's heavy, wheezy breathes of pain. She was holding her ribs as she tried to get up, only to whimper in agony as she fell back down.

Tiger's heart was clenching in his chest as he approached her. He held a hand out to help her to her feet, before she shoved him off roughly and harshly, provoking gasps from the others.

"I don't need your help." Lotus gritted through her teeth, before moaning in pain again. Viper and Mantis made their way over.

"Sweetie, don't strain yourself. Mantis get your medical supplies ready. And she might need the acupuncture needles." Mantis nodded, scattering off to the Student's Quarters to get his medical supplies ready. Before meeting the Five, he was a doctor, so both he and Lotus know a thing or two about medicine. "Monkey, Crane, help me get her to stand." the two nodded, before hoisting her arms around their necks, as much as they could due to different heights. But it was straining her ribs and other injuries.

Monkey then felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to see Tiger. He gently pushed him aside, giving Crane a look, before lifting and cradling Lotus in his arm bridle style.

"I said I don't need your-"

"Lotus." she stopped at his strained and pleading tone "Please, just this once. Let me do this." Lotus was quiet, before she sighed and buried her face into his vest, making his cheeks warm before he continued down the stairs towards the Students Quarters.

 _"What's wrong with me?"_ Lotus thought to herself. Normally she would rebuff his advances regardless of whatever tone he used, and her heart was starting to race and she felt her face heat up. Then she heard something else and listened closely.

 _"And what's wrong with Tiger?"_

His heart was racing too.

* * *

 **Student's Quarters**

"Ow! Mantis, that's the fifteenth one you've misPLACED!"

"Sorry, OK? It's just not easy finding the right nerve points with all these stripes. Like, is it around the area with white or is it around the black parts?" he stuck another needle into her back, quite close to her neck, making her cry out.

"Maybe you should have another look at this." Viper told the bug, holding up a diagram of the tiger body.

"Ah! OK." he then went back to work as Monkey and Crane watched from the sidelines, winching each time Lotus let out a pained yell.

"I don't know what the heck Master Shifu was doing." Crane mentioned, and Monkey laughed.

"If I didn't know better, I'd say he's trying to get rid of her!" he laughed, but no-one joined in. Viper gave him a sharp glare, Mantis tried to seem oblivious by continuing the acupuncture, and Crane just directed his attention to something else. Lotus was gazing at the ground.

"Shifu wasn't always like this, you know." the four looked over to her, confused and concerned, wondering where she was going with this. "There was once a time when Shifu used to smile all the time."

"Wow."

"Seriously?"

"No way!"

"Are you reeling us in again, Lo?"

"It's the truth. But that was before..." she trailed off, but Viper slithered closer. "Before what?" before she could answer, Tiger barged through the door.

"Before Tai Lung." everyone looked wide eyed at the forbidden name.

"I thought we weren't supposed to talk about him?" Crane said. Viper shrugged, "Well, Shifu isn't here to stop us." Monkey then laughed.

"I know about Tai Lung. He was a student here. The first to master the thousand scrolls of Kung Fu..." Monkey went silent when Lotus stood up and approached him. "But he turned bad, is now in jail and..." Monkey's voice went quivery as Lotus continued to stare.

Only Oogway, Shifu, Lotus and Tiger know the real story behind the snow leopard.

"Tai Lung wasn't just a student. Once, long before any of us were born, Shifu found him in front of the doors of the Jade Palace, a cub and all alone. And so he raised him as his son. And when the boy showed a passion for Kung Fu, Shifu trained him. Believed in him. Told him he was destined for greatness. And with each day that passed, Tai Lung got stronger, faster, smarter. But it was never enough for Tai Lung." everyone was staring wide eyed as Lotus retold the story that awakened very dark memories.

Tiger then continued when he noticed she couldn't go any longer. "He wanted the Dragon Scroll. But Oogway saw darkness in his heart and refused. Outraged, Tai Lung laid waste to the Valley. He tried to take the Scroll by force. And Shifu had to destroy what he had created." Tiger recited as he remembered how Tai Lung bursted through the doors and went for the Scroll and Shifu jumped in to stop him.

And hesitate. "But how could he?" he lamented, growing sad as he remembered how Shifu just shut everyone out that day and in turn he shut Lotus out.

"So Oogway was forced to step in when Tai Lung could not be deterred, and he was taken away to prison." Lotus went on, before sighing. "Shifu loved Tai Lung like he had never loved anyone before." she stopped, giving Tiger a brief look, "Or since." Tiger looked away, not willing to face the stares he was giving. Lotus sighed, before pulling the needles out of her back, and walking out of the room.

* * *

 **The Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom**

Lotus was trying to relax. Trying to find that Inner Peace thing that Oogway spoke of, but she didn't think it would be so hard. So many questions were burning into her mind and it was driving her crazy. Why was she feeling so conflicted and weak? What are her feelings towards Tiger? And what was his feelings towards her?

"AGGH!" she growled, curling her fists, punching the tree, making a few peaches and petals fall.

"You know, some of those are probably bruised now." Lotus jumped, but relaxed when she saw it was only her grandfather. Lotus chuckled, before standing in front of him, rubbing her arm.

"How did you do it, Grandfather? How did you find inner peace? I need to know."

"Need to? Or _want_ to?" Oogway asked, still smiling.

"I don't know. Both? All I know is that all these confusing emotions is tearing me apart! What is with me? What's with Tiger?! When did life get so complected?!" Lotus exclaimed, falling to her knees and covering her head in her arms.

"When you aloud it to." Lotus looked up at him through her fetal position, confusion in her expression.

"What?"

"It became complicated when you refused to make sense of the situations that cross you." Oogway said, walking past her until he reached near the end of the cliff and he began some slow, calming excirises. "You could have taken care of all these emotions years ago, if you aloud yourself to do two things."

Lotus raised an eyebrow, skeptical but curious. "What?" Oogway smiled and turned to her.

"To listen. And to believe. Promise me, Lotus. Promise me you'll try to listen and believe." he begged. Lotus felt so vulnerable at that moment and just couldn't say no.

"I'll try." Oogway smiled.

"Good. Now run along now. Isn't it time for dinner?" Lotus smiled, before turning back as she walked away.

"Are you coming, Grandfather?"

"Not tonight, Lotus. Goodnight my flower." Lotus smiled.

"Goodnight Grandfather. Love you." she hugged him, then rushed off to the dining quarters. Oogway smiled sadly.

"I love you too, my Flower."

How was she to know that Shifu had later appeared to Oogway with bad news.

Or that was the last time she and Oogway would ever see each other for a very long time.


	9. Hows and Vows

**KUNG FU PANDA: Kung Fu White Tiger.  
**

 **Chapter Four: Hows and Vows**

* * *

 **Jade Palace: Dining** **Quarters**

When Lotus arrived to the Dining Quarters, Pin was cooking some Secret Ingredient Soup for the Five, three extra bowls waiting for Lotus, Shifu and Oogway, and Pin was telling the Five one of of his tales when he worked at his old restaurant before he started work as the Jade Palace Chef. He smiled when he noticed her in the doorway.

"Ah! Lotus! I knew you'd come! The moment you smelt my Secret Ingredient Soup, you came running, didn't you?" he gushed, turning to fill her bowl. Lotus smirked behind his back.

"Oh, yes Pin. I know the taste of your soup so well, that I came running from the Peach Tree." she said in a mock marveling voice. The others smiled to themselves, but Pin took no notice of the mocking tone. If anything it made him blush even more.

"Here you go!" He handed her a bowl and she sat down. Pretty far from Tiger. She was still a bit conflicted about her current feelings towards him.

"And as I was saying, I was thinking 'you may be the most scariest bandit in Haijin Province, but your nothing but a someone that was too lazy to make a living for yourself, that you resort to crime'." oh boy. He's talking about the time someone wanted to steal some money from his old restaurant before Oogway revealed himself as a costumer and taught him a lesson. The restaurant was a bit damaged, but a job offer that he couldn't refuse made up for that.

"Anyway, I hope you enjoy!"

Monkey smiled, "Don't mind if I do!" then began drinking out of the whole bowl. When he lowered it, the group, minus Tiger, burst into giggles. He looked confused. "What?"

"Oh, nothing." Mantis assures, before smirking, "Master Shifu." he bowed, before he and everyone else started to laugh at the set of noodles on his face that resembled Shifu's mustache. He smirked, getting an idea.

"'You will never be the Dragon Warrior, unless you do a thousand sit ups and brush your teeth.'" he said in his best Shifu impression. The table bursted into little giggles. The only one not laughing were Tiger and Pin. Pin because he wasn't taking well to his noodles being played with in such a way. And Tiger because he was too distracted by Lotus's laughter. It sounded like a harmony of a thousand angels, smooth and silky like buttermilk.

"'What is that noise your making? Laughter? I've never heard of it!'" Monkey exclaimed, still doing his Shifu impression, before grabbing two empty bowls. "'Work hard, students, and maybe someday... you'll have ears like mine!'" he then positioned the bowls on the sides of his head, making very believable ears.

The others began laughing even harder, before they noticed someone behind him and stopped.

"Ears. Not working? I thought they were good." Monkey continued as Shifu stood a second behind him, a steady glare on his face. And something Lotus noticed, he was holding Oogway's staff.

"It's Shifu!" Mantis tried to warn him, but he didn't take notice.

"Yes, it's Shifu, what do you think I'm doing?"

Lotus pointed behind him, and he finally looked around to see him. "Oh, Master Shifu! Uh..." he trailed off, not knowing a good excuse, before he slurped the noodle on his face, holding the bowl against his chest as the others struggled to hold in their laughter. Even Pin couldn't hide his mirth.

"You think this is funny?! Tai Lung has escaped from prison, and you're acting like children!" Shifu yelled in anger, making everyone freeze in their tracks. Tai Lung was free!?

"What?!" Lotus and Tiger said, shocked by what the Red Panda said.

"He is coming for the Dragon Scroll, and you are the only one that can stop him!" he directed to Lotus. The bowls fell off Monkey's chest and onto the floor. Pin dropped his tray of beverages and began cleaning. Lotus dropped her spoon into her soup.

Then Pin started to laugh nervously. "And here I was, Master, thinking you had no sense of humor. Lotus has to stop... Tai Lung..." the goose trailed off as he got a good look at Shifu's face. He was dead serious.

"You're not kidding, are you?"

"I'm afraid not, Pin."

"But Lotus can't fight Tai Lung! He's a savage! He hurt you. What makes you think he won't hurt Lotus? He'll tear her to pieces!" Pin yelled, trying to convince him that it was crazy.

"It's the only way, Pin."

"No it's not. Talk to Oogway! He'll stop Tai Lung! He did it before. He can do it again!"

"Oogway can not! Not anymore." he yelled, before his voice went quiet as he looked at the staff with a sad look. Lotus got up from her seat and looked at him.

"What are you talking about?" Shifu slowly looked up to her, his eyes held a sad look.

"I'm sorry."

Lotus took a few steps back, unwilling to believe what Shifu was saying. She shook her head. He couldn't be... he can't be... She rushed out of the room in break neck speed on her fours. She had to see for herself.

Shifu sighed, "Our only hope is the Dragon Warrior."

Tiger protested, "I don't think that's wise." Shifu immediately grew defensive.

"That is not your decision!"

"Master, please!" Tiger yelled, pushing the table as he stood. He didn't want Lotus to face Tai Lung. Pin was right. Tai Lung had no remorse when he almost killed Shifu and nearly destroyed the Valley. Nothing would stop him from hurting Lotus, maybe even kill her. "Let me fight Tai Lung! This is what you trained me for!"

"No!" Shifu yelled "It is not your destiny to defeat Tai Lung. That destiny is Lotus's! Wither you like it or not!" he then stomped off to find Lotus.

Tiger clenched his fists and roared as he hammered one into the table, breaking it in half.

He can't let Lotus get killed. He just can't.

* * *

 **Lotus**

Lotus was looking at all the places Oogway loved to dwell in, but couldn't find him anywhere. The Moon Pool, the Master's Garden, the Peach Tree, nowhere. He really was gone. As much as Lotus wanted to deny it, her grandfather was dead. And he wasn't coming back.

Lotus fell to her knees by the Moon Pool, tears coming to her eyes and falling into the Pool. She still couldn't believe that he was really gone! The one that raised her, guided her, taught her everything she knew! Gone! Just like that! It was like a incredibly horrid dream she couldn't wake up from.

She then heard footsteps coming from behind, followed by the stomp of a piece of wood so familiar, yet different at the same time. She turned to see Shifu, looking like he wanted to comfort her somehow, anyhow, but didn't know how.

Lotus slowly stood up, and went toward the palace doors. Shifu watched after her, confusion plastered on his features.

"What are you doing?"

"Leaving." of course she was leaving. There was not much for her to be here anymore. Her grandfather is gone, Tiger wasn't her friend, at least she didn't think he was anymore, and the Valley of Peace was stuck with a Physician as a Dragon Warrior. And now that her grandfather was gone, she was basically an orphan now. She was alone again. It seemed she was destined to be alone, no matter what circumstance. No family, no friends, not even enemies.

She had just got on the second flight of stairs when Shifu suddenly landed in front of her, making her jump a step back.

"You cannot leave! A real warrior never quits!"

"Good thing I'm not a real warrior then." she snarked, making to go around, but he maneuvered her towards the palace. "See?! How am I supposed to fight Tai Lung when I can't even get down the stairs?"

"You can beat him because _you_ are the Dragon Warrior!" Shifu told her, poking her stomach with Oogway's staff, and she felt angry all over again. Who gave him permission to use her grandfather's staff in such a manner?! Oogway always only used the staff for defense and magical healing and peaceful meditation, never once to physically assault a student or an ally.

"You don't believe that! You _never_ believed that! The moment I was given the title, you've been trying to get rid of me!" she tried to go around him again, but this time, he trip her over onto her back.

"Yes, I was! But now I ask you to trust in your master, as I have come to trust in mine."

Lotus grunted. Was he serious? Now he wants to train her in Kung Fu? Fat chance of that. In fact, he lost his chance a long time ago.

"You're not my master." she told him, gently poking the staff away. No way was she damaging one of Oogway's memory. "And I'm not the Dragon Warrior."

"Then why didn't you quit!? You knew I was trying to let you drop the title, yet you stayed." Shifu said. Inside, he was actually quiet curious. She tried her hand in Kung Fu at least six times, but stopped all together when Tai Lung went bad, she dropped out of training and went to herbs and medicine instead. He always thought of it as laziness or something. But the phrase 'Never Judge a Book by it's Cover' crossed his mind, and he decided to for once listen and try to understand.

"Yeah, I stayed." she groaned as she stood up from the ground, but kept a steady glare on the Red Panda. "Because every time you belittled me, or called my way irresponsible, sure it hurt. But nothing scared me more, then the thought of Kung Fu changing me, and not for the better, for the worse. But I made a promise to try and I did. So I thought, if there was anyone that can change me for the better, it was you. The greatest Kung Fu teacher in all of China."

Shifu was almost shocked to silence. Lotus was afraid of Kung Fu? He supposed it made sense. When great masters like Tai Lung or Fenghuang got exposed to great power, it corrupted them completely for the worst. Shifu tried fixing that by training the Five with only what they needed to know. But Lotus must of noticed something. And it scared her. But if he can train the Five, he could train Lotus.

"I can change you! I can turn you into the Dragon Warrior! And I will!" Lotus laughed sarcastically.

"Come on! Tai Lung is on his way right now! And even if it takes him a thousand years to get here, how are you going to change someone like me, into something like the Dragon Warrior?" she asked, but Shifu didn't know how to answer.

"How?"

He remained silent. He tried coming up with some words that could back him up, but couldn't come up with any.

"How?"

Still no words. He just didn't... he didn't...

"How?!" she yelled, eyes turning golden for a split second.

 **"I don't know!"** he finally yelled, admitting what he truly felt about this. He just didn't know. "I don't know."

Lotus was a little surprised by his response. But found it understandable. After all, how can someone like her, just become the Dragon Warrior in one night?

"I thought so." she whispered rather profoundly, before turning around to the Student Quarters. There's was no way she could actually leave this place. This was her home, and she had nowhere else to go.

The two didn't notice that they were being spied on by a curtain tiger with burnt orange eyes. Tiger was watching the whole exchange, and felt incredibly saddened by Lotus's lack of faith in herself. But he couldn't allow her to get hurt either. Turning away, he took a deep breathe, before leaping into the sky, the full moon turning his silhouette into shadow.

He flipped himself around, preparing to land on one of the villages rooftops, biding his time, before landing, sliding a bit on the roof, before leaping once more, landing gracefully on another roof. Breathing deep, tail flicking, he gazed at the many mountains shrouded with mist. He was certain that was where Tai Lung would emerge from, if someone didn't stop him.

He looked to Jade Palace, before sighing. "Sorry Master. But I made a vow. And nothing you order is going to break it." and then, he took off.

Not noticing some shadows following him.

He barely made it halfway across town, when a voice called out to him. "Tiger!" it was Viper! And the rest of the Five following him! Had they come to try and take him back to the palace? He was not about to let that happen. They kept following her across the roofs and through the buildings railings, but it didn't stop him from running.

"Don't try and stop me!" that wasn't just a warning. It was a threat. He was stronger and trained longer then any of them. He could easily take them all on and win. He flipped over another roof and continued towards the mountains.

"We're not trying to stop you!" Viper yelled, making his original thoughts stop in their tracks. "What?" if they weren't here to change his mind, then why-

"We're coming with you!" Crane told him as he flew beside the viper stylist.

"You think your the only one who doesn't want to see Lotus hurt?" Monkey called, Mantis right after him.

"He's right. If Tai Lung even thinks of hurting her, he as to get through all of us to do it!"

Tiger smiled, as he maneuvered closer to his team. His friends. They were all here and they were all going to face Tai Lung for one purpose. One purpose that seemed reason enough to risk their lives.

"For Lotus." Tiger vowed, and the Five smiled, before leaping into the air, chanting two words.

 _ **"FOR LOTUS!"**_

* * *

 **This chapter seemed a lot longer in my head. Sorry if your a bit disappointed, but I promise to try and do better. And please, if your gonna use criticism, do it gently. I've had enough to last me a life time in my opinion and it's really getting me down.**

 **Hope to see you soon. A little early, but have a nice Easter:)**


	10. There Are No Accidents

**KUNG FU PANDA: Kung Fu White Tiger.  
**

 **Chapter Five: There Are No Accidents**

* * *

 **Jade Palace: The Peach Tree of Heavenly Wisdom**

Shifu was at a lost.

With Oogway gone, he didn't know what to do anymore. He just felt like this sad old man that was lost in the dark woods of China. He hadn't talked to Lotus since last night. In fact, he hadn't talked to anyone last night. Not Tiger, not Ping or Zeng. it was just silence. Most of the Palace was quiet, the servants paying their respects to the past Master and already working on a statue in the Masters' Garden.

Speaking of Lotus, Shifu couldn't help but replay the promise he made to Oogway when he left.

 _"Promise me, Shifu. Promise me you'll believe in her."_

 _"I-I'll try."_

Shifu sighed, deciding that none of this was helping, but when he strained his ears, he thought that he heard something. Thinking it was the Five training, he made his way to the Training Hall, but it was empty, then he realized it was coming from the sleeping quarters. As he made his way over, the noises got louder, and they sounded like a female's cries of anger and frustration. When he peaked into the Lotus's room, which was the area of all the commotion, he was surprised to see the entire room in shambles. Selves broken in two and on the ground, the bed was flipped over, and many scratches were on the walls and floors. And there were also... burns.

In the corner was Lotus, curled up in a fetal position, crying. Shifu found this image familiar. Like when he first met Tiger at the orphanage. But rather then tense and threatening, she was distraught. Then Shifu realized how obvious this whole thing was. She just lost the only thing close enough to a father that she has ever known. Shifu wasn't the only one suffering here. Everyone was mourning the loss of Oogway, and he selfishly just continued on like he was the only what that had something to loose from such a loss.

It was like Tai Lung all over again. He lost both his sons, one to greed, another to self-pity. Tiger lost both a father, a brother and a friend. And right now... Lotus lost her grandfather.

Shifu took a deep breath, before walking past all the rubble, hands behind his back as he approach. Lotus noticed his presence, but didn't say anything. They were caught in an awkward silence for about seven seconds before Shifu started speaking.

"I..." he started off awkwardly, before taking a deep breathe, "I realize how... selfish I've been since Oogway's... passing." Lotus whimpered, strangely making Shifu's heart clench at the sound. "He effected each of us in the best way, and I selfishly pushed aside everyone in my grief and took no notice of how everyone else was suffering." Lotus didn't move her head from her knees, but her voice was muffled as she responded.

"Kinda like how you did when Tai Lung went bad." Shifu didn't looked outraged. If anything, he actually looked hurt and accepting.

"You..." Lotus waited for the berating. The scolding, telling to never mention 'that' name again. "Are right." her ear twitched. What? "In my despair of loosing Tai Lung to the dark, I ignored everyone else's suffering. Tiger's... Yours... Oogway's..." Lotus clenched her eyes tightly to prevent anymore tears.

"We all mess up at some point." Shifu looked up from his guilty form and raise an eyebrow in question. "After all. This was all an accident."

Shifu was silent, before smiling softly. "There are no accidents." he told her, this time making her raise an eyebrow in confusion. "Come with me." he told her, making a small 'come-along' gesture. As she stood up, he called over his shoulder.

"And pack some supplies. We have a long trip ahead of us."

"What?"

* * *

 **A Few Thousand Frickin' Miles Away from the Jade Palace.**

"Shifu. _Please_ tell there is a method to all this madness." Lotus begged as she pulled herself up over the ledge, a large camping bag on her shoulders as she Shifu sat upon said bag in a meditation position.

"Very well. There is a method to all this madness." he smirked. She groaned loudly.

A few hours later, and Shifu finally hopped off and walked ahead, quickly disappearing in the fog. Lotus took his absence as a moment to breathe, hands on her knees, before following him slowly. When she finally caught up with him, he was sitting in a meditation position by a very particular looking pond.

"Shifu... please don't tell me you dragged me all the way here for a drink." she pleaded, but none the less, was glad to have finally come across water, as their water flask ran out hours ago.

"Lotus. We do not drink from the Pool of Sacred Tears." he told her just as she scooped up some water and was about to lap it up before letting it sprinkle back home. Lotus finally took the chance to look around. She had a good look of their general area. They were in a wet and grassy field, with fog blanketing the whole area, but it seemed to be fading as the sun was starting to rise once more.

"Where are we?"

"This is where Oogway unraveled the mysteries of harmony and focus. Lotus, what you see before you, is the birthplace of Kung Fu." Lotus felt the air leave her lungs as she looked around in shock. This is where Oogway first invented Kung Fu! She turned to Shifu, only to find he had leaped into the air, and landed on a large pointed stone, just as the sun peaked off of it.

"It is time, Lotus. Time to put your skills to the test, turn you into the _true_ Dragon Warrior!"

Lotus was stunned by this new growth of faith Shifu had in her, but nodded nonetheless and smiled.

She was ready to try.

* * *

 **A Hour Later**

Lotus continued to follow the Red Panda as he spoke.

"When you focus on Kung Fu-when you _truly_ focus-you show potential. And it was my fault that I never saw that before. Before, I always viewed your reluctance to learn Kung Fu as cowardice. But it was truly the wisest acts I've witnessed in years. And now, the best way I think I can train _you,_ is with this." and gestured a magnificent temple in front of them.

Lotus raised an eyebrow. "What?"

"You have shown immense power and strength in scenarios that, at times, don't require them. So the first thing we do is learn to focus your strengths." he then flicked a marble out to her, but she didn't react in time and it hit her nose, bouncing back. She stepped back, shocked as Shifu caught it with ease.

"It's time."

Lotus sighed. She really didn't know about this. She thought that this was all a lost cause. But if Shifu had faith in her, then she should at least try. In honor of Oogway's memory.

She had to try.

And training began.

* * *

"First, we'll practice your palm technique. A powerful hand strike is one of the basic techniques in Dragon Kung Fu." Shifu told Lotus, circling her as she stood in the middle of the open temple in a starting position. But her eyebrow quirked at his words.

"Wait. Dragon Kung Fu?" Shifu raised an eyebrow to her.

"A problem?" she shook her head quickly, "No, it's just... I assumed I would be learning Tiger Style." Shifu smiled, which really scared her. When was the last time Shifu ever smiled like that? "Yes, I understand the confusion. But you are the Dragon Warrior, so learning the Dragon Style is going to be expected of you. Plus, Tai Lung is a Master of Dragon Style, and so, you'll need to be on even battle ground, should you ever do face him. Which I hope never comes to pass." Lotus smiled.

But then Shifu tapped her leg with Oogway's staff a bit roughly. "Now, back in position." she did as told and he continued.

"Now, as I was saying, a powerful hand strike is one of the basic techniques in Dragon Kung Fu. To deliver a dragon palm strike, your hand should extend palm out, with fingers pointing upward and curled slightly. Using a heavy punching bag for practice, strike the upper part of the bag with the heel of your hand. Hand strikes in dragon style target an opponent's upper body and face. When striking, rotate your waist to bring forward the same side as your striking hand to add power to your palm technique. Understand?"

Lotus stared at him increasingly, the stances she's trying, to copy everything he literally just said looking sloppy and uncoordinated. In over words, slumped in disbelief.

"I guess...?"

Shifu sighed.

"You'll learn."

* * *

"Now, we've some... familiar with your palm technique. now it's time to learn how to develop a strong dragon claw, another hand technique in the Dragon Style. To form a dragon claw, extend your hand forward," Lotus did as told, glad that Shifu was now explaining much slower then he was previously. "palm facing forward and fingers curled to form claws. Extend the thumb, index and middle finger forward, curling the ring finger and pinky downward. Dragon Kung Fu Stylists use the claw for grabbing and grappling, aiming for the eyes, throat and other sensitive striking points of an opponent." Lotus nodded, getting the idea of what he was saying.

After all, these were just basics to get her started. Right?

She was sure to find out when she faces Tai Lung.

* * *

"Now, while Dragon Style emphasizes powerful hand strikes, it also involves low, sweeping kicks intended to hit the lower areas of the opponent's body. Ankles, knees, even the groin." Lotus giggled at the thought of her giving Tai Lung a well deserved kick in the nether regions. "You'll need to rotate your hips and waste to add power to a kick. And always strike with the ball of your foot. Observe."

Shifu got into a stance, preparing to hit a large heavy punching bag that he had Lotus set up. He did a run up, before leaping into the air, preforming a twirl, before changing his position midair, rotating his hips and waste as he said to do, before delivering a deadly kick that knocked the bag off it's chain and hit the floor with a thud.

Lotus stood in shock. That was 150 pound bag and with only a single kick, he broke it off it's chain.

.

.

.

Her giggles intensified she imaged the bag as Tai Lung's groin.

Shifu stared at her, perplexed, before rolling his eyes.

Women.

* * *

"The mighty dragon represents strength and power, but is also the bringer of wisdom." Shifu told her as Lotus stood once more in the starting position. "Cultivating internal energy is an important element of Dragon Kung Fu. You must practice proper breathing techniques that cultivate the body's internal energy. This means slow, controlled breaths that engage the lower parts of the body to pull in and release air. This type of breathing develops strength and power."

Lotus nodded. So deep, slow, controlled breathing will help her in a fight.

"Now, remember the exercises Ping did with you to help you with your nightmares?" Lotus raised an eyebrow. "Yes?" "Then you should have that handled. Breath in for four seconds."

Lotus breathed in.

"Hold it in for seven seconds."

She held it in as the imaginary seconds ticked by.

"Then breathe out for eight seconds."

And exhaled for the next number of seconds. She immediately felt a lot more calmer. Maybe she can do this.

* * *

She and Shifu did this for hours after, improving her skills after she learned and perfected on skill before jumping to another one. She honestly never felt stronger. She felt more wiser, more aware of her surroundings. It was like she got something back and she didn't even know it was lost in the first place. She felt like she could fight off a thousand gorillas.

Like she could square off against a pod of crocodiles.

Like she could defeat Tai Lung.

She felt like a Warrior. A _Dragon_ Warrior.

* * *

It was the next day now, and Lotus now knew all the techniques involving the Dragon Style, having practice them, and redo them, until it was perfect. Lotus had spent the rest of whatever the night was left resting up for the next amount of training. But when she found Shifu, she found him in front of a flat boulder, with a bowl of dumplings and two sets of chopsticks.

"Shifu? What's this?" Shifu smiled pleasantly and gestured to the bowl with his chopsticks. "After you."

"What?"

"I vowed to train you, and you have been trained." he explained, before bowing his head towards the bowl, once again gesturing to the dumplings with his chopsticks. "You are free to relax, and therefore free to eat."

Lotus looked suspicious. She felt like Shifu had a reason for this. So, studying him carefully, she sat down, grabbed her chopsticks and grabbed a dumpling. Shifu smiled. "Enjoy."

Lotus still watched him with careful eyes. But shrugged lightly and went to put the dumpling in her mouth.

But then Shifu zoomed by, faster then lighting and ate it quickly. "What?" Lotus exclaimed, perplexed. Shifu looked at her innocently. "I said you are free to eat." he told her, as though whatever happened, didn't happen.

Lotus narrowed her eyes, and much quicker then before, grabbed another dumpling, only this time, Shifu kicked it out of her hand, sending it into the air before he grabbed it with his chopsticks and ate that one to.

Lotus glared playfully. Now he saw his game. He wants her to fight for it. She cracked her neck, before slamming her fist against the bowl, sending all dumplings into the air. Shifu jumped up as well, and spun a little as he ate all the dumplings.

Leaving only one left.

Lotus leap into action to get it before him, but he was too quick, causing her to fall on her knees by the boulder. Shifu smirked, about to eat it, before she flipped onto her feet expertly and flicked out of his chopsticks with her own pair.

It fell into the bowl, and they started to play with it, trying to get it with their set of chopsticks, but it only lead into a small sword fight, the chopsticks scrapping against the bottom as Shifu managed to flip the bowl over the dumpling.

Shifu smirked as Lotus guessed where he was going with next. He flipped the other two bowls and started to shuffle then at an abnormal speed, and it didn't look like he was stopping. Her eyes flickered rapidly to the white blurs on the boulder, before deciding to chance it and flipped one of them.

Bingo!

They went back to their little stick fight, this went on for another ten seconds, before Lotus palmed the bowl, knocking the bowl off the boulder, and then kicked the bowl to jump the dumpling out and into the air. She went to grab it with the chopsticks, but Shifu speared it with his own, pinning it to the tree. Shifu ran up her back and leaped, but she managed to catch his foot with her chopsticks and grounded him to the floor.

They then heard a squishing sound and peered up to see that the dumpling was slowly slipping off the stick.

Shifu smirked and flipped her, twisting her arm. She shook him off and flipped him, but he did the same and threw her on the floor onto her back.

The dumpling slipped and fell. Lotus noticed his moment of weakness and jumped up while he was distracted and shoved him aside. She went to grab it with her paw. Only for Shifu to press her hand against her wrist and watch as the morsel rolled down his arm and closer to his mouth.

She roughly pats his arm up, sending the dumpling into the sky once more, and does a sweeping kick, but Shifu jumped and side kicks the dumpling away. Lotus ran after it. Shifu smiled wildly, discarding the chopsticks and grabbing his bamboo stick that he's used to fight.

Lotus almost would have grabbed the food had Shifu not batted it upwards, higher then before, giving them time to do a brawl. She blocked two of his attacks and side kicked at him, but he blocked that one and flipped down to a lower ground to grab the dumpling, but Lotus kicked it higher and blocked and dodged more of his attacks while kicking the dumpling aloft with expertise.

Shifu tried to climb over to be closer to the dumpling and to get an open attack, but Lotus surprised him, pinning his stick to the ground, before leaping into the air, doing an aerial horizontal turn as she hip bumped the dumpling further towards her destination.

Shifu watched in awe as Lotus landed on her fours effortlessly, before finally grabbing the dumpling in her paws.

She won.

Shifu looked at her with admiration and pride. The White Tiger looked over to the master with a bright smiled as she heaved in and out with exhaustion. Shifu bowed, gesturing that she was finally free to eat.

Lotus smirked, and tossed the dumpling to him, surprising him. She smiled. "I'm not really hungry right now." she quipped playfully. Shifu smirked and chucked it away behind him.

"Master." she said respectfully as she placed her hands together and bowed traditionally. Shifu bowed as well.

Her training was complete.

* * *

 **The Furious Five**

The Five had finally made it. They had finally reached the Mountain Pass and to the Thread of Hope before Tai Lung crossed. If he had crossed the bridge before they got here, there would have been no stopping him from attacking innocent villages. They got to the start of the bridge and took in deep breathes from their long journey.

They heard rapid footsteps from the other side, and sliding into view was someone Tiger didn't think he would see in a long time. Tai Lung. The snow leopard saw his adoptive little brother and smirked.

Tiger growled.

The Kung Fu Master roared, before started pounding his way across the bridge in rapid speed. Tiger's eyes widened. If Tai Lung reaches them...

"CUT IT!" they obeyed immediately, cutting the lines of rope that held the bridge. Tai Lung jumped at the last second and would have made it if Tiger hadn't made the leap of faith and uppercut kicked his chin, sending him flipping backwards. The rest of the Five grabbed the bridge at the last minute and held it up as the two brothers stood there ground Tiger in a battle position and Tai Lung in a casual pose as he lent against the bridge, tilting it.

"Hello, little brother." Tiger growled at his mocking tone, before the leopard went semi-serious. "Where's the Dragon Warrior?"

"How do you know your not looking at him?" Tai Lung laughed as Tiger tried to save face. Does he already know?

"You think I'ma fool?" Tai Lung asked, before glowering as he gestured to him. "I know you're not the Dragon Warrior. None of you!" he yelled to the others as Tiger growled a warning. Tai Lung stepped closer, keeping perfect balance on the rope as he continued.

"I heard that they came down on a Juggernaut on a ball of fire. That they is a _warrior_ unlike anything this world has ever seen!" Tai Lung told them as Tiger growled louder, warning him about taking another step.

"He's talking about her? Isn't he?" Monkey whispered so he wouldn't hear, and Crane nodded. Tai Lung looked longing.

"Finally. A worthy opponent. Our battle will be legendary!"

Tiger had enough and charged, hitting his former brother with everything he had. Tai Lung dodged and deflected all of them, but Tiger was able to get his head between his feet and threw him around, and over the bridge. But the leopard grabbed the rope and swung under and up, higher into the clouds until Tiger couldn't see him.

Then he came back, roaring ferociously, and Tiger flipped the bridge and backed away, allowing the power hungry leopard to break through the bridge and fight the tiger upside down. He blocked a few punches and threw a kick, but he grabbed his leg and threw him towards the gorge. Tiger was quick and sinked his claws into the flesh of his brother's wrist and positioned himself back on the bridge.

Tai Lung yelled in slight pain before chasing after him, Tiger throwing punches and kicks to get him back as he swung away to regroup. But Tai Lung caught up to him and started beating him.

"We got this! Help him!" Monkey told Viper and Crane as he reached for their ropes.

Tai Lung swung one final kick that sent him far back, breaking the boards of the bridge in one swift moment. Tai Lung then flipped the bridge and started chocking him, the ropes twisting around his neck tightly. Viper slithered under him and whip bashed him in the face, forcing him to let go.

But Tiger started to plunge into the misty depths of the Devil's Mouth and Crane flew after him, quickly catching him and pulling him up above the mist.

Viper hissed angrily at the leopard as she strangled him and forced him to punch himself with her tail wrapped around his wrist. She made a get away when it looked like he was about to fall, but he quickly regained balance and grabbed her harshly by the throat.

"Monkey!" she cried out, choked.

"Go!" Mantis told the monkey master, before grunting as all the ropes have now been passed to him. "WHATWASITHINKING!?"

Monkey leaped and kicked him in the face, making him let go of the snake and land roughly on the two ropes. Mantis grunted, struggling not to slip and send them all to the Devil's Mouth.

Tai Lung roared as he leaped and started bounding towards them, switching from rope to rope as he speed closer and closer.

"MANTIS!" Tiger called out, hanging from Crane's legs and he understood and whipped the bridge, sending a wave. Monkey and Viper jumped so they wouldn't be harmed as the whiplash hit the mad master in the face and forced him back once more.

"NOW!" they charged, roaring battle cries as Tai Lung actually struggled to keep balance. Monkey hopped and banged his feet against Tai Lung's chest. Then made a pathway for Viper, who slithered up his arm like a runway and whip lashed him. Crane then grabbed one length of rope from what was left of the bridge and kicked him in the stomach, keeping him in the air so he could tie him up.

Then Tiger jumped on his back, then leaped off, giving a powerful palm strike to his brother's chest and then cut the remaining rope.

Tai Lung screamed in rage as Mantis pulled his team back to their side of the Devil's Mouth. They watched as Tai Lung continued screaming, until he hit the pillar and went silent.

They took deeps breathes, and exchanged looks. It seems like they won. Tiger turned to the team, making sure everyone was OK, but he found himself turning back to where his former brother disappeared.

The rope was moving.

Tiger frowned, his eyes calculating. The rope swung back and forth, before it stared swinging around the whole pillar. Then the vine raised in their direction, and flicked. Tiger watched the rope carefully.

There was no-one there.

A loud thud made them all turn in surprise and stood panicked as Tai Lung slowly rose to his feet, an air of confidence, and an impressed look on his face. He stared down at his adoptive little brother as he looked at him in shock.

Tai Lung chuckled inwardly. Poor little cub. Did he really think he could have been beaten so easily? His mind briefly wandered to a certain white feline, but dismissed it.

"Shifu taught you well." quick as lighting, he surged forward, two fingers poised outwards and straight, and jabbed Monkey in the chest. Blue rings echoed from the spot as Monkey chirped in surprise and fell forward, paralyzed.

The Five took a step back, preparing themselves for the inevitable.

"But he didn't teach you everything." he told them, surging forward once more with a growl.

As Tai Lung made for the tiger master, fear and a feeling of failure bridled him.

 _"I'm sorry, Lotus."_ he thought to himself painfully as the severely wounded Crane carried him and the rest of the Five to the Jade Palace. _"I failed you."_

* * *

 **Writing fight scenes is friggin' hard! And it was hard to figure out how Shifu was going to train her. I couldn't do dumplings, I couldn't copy how he trained Tigress and used marbles instead of dominoes.**

 **So I settled with the basic teachings of the Dragon Style.**

 **So, here it is. Hope it doesn't disappoint. Seeya next chapter and/or story!**


	11. There's No Secret Ingredient

**KUNG FU PANDA: Kung Fu White Tiger.  
**

 **Chapter Six: There's No Secret Ingredient**

* * *

 **Jade Palace**

"You've done well, Lotus." Shifu told the new Dragon Style Master as they finally reached the Training Hall of the Jade Palace, their supplies on Lotus's back. Lotus looked down at the master, a bit bewildered. She still couldn't believe that all of that had happened.

She had learned flippin' Kung Fu! Something that she thought that she would never be able to do.

"'Done well'? 'Done well'? No offense, Master Shifu, but I think I did pretty amazing." she said, hopping on her feet as she did, but nearly fell down due to the weight of her sack. Shifu smiled, but covered it up quickly. "The mark of a true hero is humility." Shifu told her, tempting her to settle down a little.

Then he smirked. "But yes, you did do 'amazing'." Lotus giggled, pointing a finger at Shifu playfully. Shifu did the same, daring her to just try it and see what would happen. In all her life of living in the Jade Palace as the physician, she never thought that she would have this kind of relationship with him after Tai Lung. But here they were now, Lotus now on the road to being an experienced warrior and almost having that kind of relationship when a student looks up to the teacher. Which it kinda was. And playfully taunting each other? Lotus never would have considered the idea.

Lotus was just thinking about how to do a sneak attack with a large sack on her back, when she heard the sound of wings. The two frowned, before looking towards the sky, expecting to see Crane, Ping, or even Zeng. They never expected what landed before them.

Crane dropped the rest of the five with harsh thuds, but no sounds were made other then Crane's exhausted panting. In fact, no-one was moving at all. They all were in different positions and poses, as though they have been frozen in time and space. Their physical conditions didn't look ideal either. Crane's feathers were all ruffled and looked oily, he was raising his right leg gingerly off the floor and his neck looked bent. Lotus was just happy it wasn't snapped. There were several vicious looking claw marks on Viper's body from her underbelly to her spine. Monkey's fur was all over the place and it looked like his eye was bruised. Mantis thankfully didn't look like much damage had been done to him, over then being covered in large purple spots.

But Tiger...

Lotus almost had a heart attack.

His lip was split, and he was supporting a black eye. His tunic was ripped open, showing some deep wounds that were previously bleeding, Lotus had no doubt that he probably had some broken ribs.

Immediately growing panicked and frantic, Lotus ran over, checking everyone quickly while turning to the only conscious one.

"Crane?! What on Earth happened?! Are they OK?!" she asked wildly as she studied their bodies and let out a sigh of relief when she figured out the reason for their frozen state.

"We were no match... for his nerve attack." Crane told Shifu slowly, still out of breathe, both from his wounds and from carrying the whole group here in such a state. He slowly got up with Lotus's help as Shifu went over to Mantis.

"He has gotten stronger." he said in a grave tone as he unparalyzed him and moved on to Monkey.

"Who?" Lotus looked at Crane for an answer, but he avoided her look. He knew it would only upset her if she found out they went after Tai Lung, and for Lotus. It would break her. But Lotus guessed the right answer anyway.

"Tai Lung? You guys went after him?! Are you insane?!" she yelled at the bird and the bug. They bowed their heads as Shifu freed Monkey from his paralyzed and moved on to Tiger. Monkey nearly punched Shifu in the face as he sprung into action out of fear and reflex.

"HE'S TOO FAST!" he shouted, before looking over to Lotus with sad eyes. "Sorry Lo." the white tiger sighed. She didn't know what to think of this. She can guess why they went out there, but she hoped that she was wrong. Tiger gasped in pain as Shifu released him from Tai Lung's Nerve Attack, but stayed on the ground, looking disheartened and defeated.

"I-I thought that we could stop him." he was so sure that he could at least slow him down, and when the rest of the Five followed him, he was sure they could possibly beat him. But... he failed. He failed Shifu. He failed Oogway. He failed the Valley of Peace.

Tiger let his eyes wander to the pretty tigress not top far away, but quickly turned away out of shame.

He failed her.

"He could have killed you." Shifu told him. Mantis looked up to their master and took a deep breathe before continuing. "Why didn't he?"

"So you could come back here and strike fear into our hearts. But it won't work." Shifu told them confidently, staring at Lotus as he finished liberating Viper.

"Oh, it's defiantly working. Just not on you." Lotus told him, eyes wide.

"You can defeat him Lotus." Shifu told her, determent. Lotus let out a hollow chuckle.

"You're serious? If they can't, what makes you think I can?!" she asked, gesturing to the beaten Five as she did, who lowered their heads in shame. "They're five masters of Kung Fu! I'm just one me!"

"But you will have the one thing that no one else does."

Lotus looked at him, calculating, before they widened in awe. Did he mean...?

* * *

 **Jade Palace: Moon Pool**

The Dragon Scroll.

They looked up at the red and golden scroll in it's sacred place of rest. The white tigress looked at the scroll with unbelieving eyes, before turning to the red panda, who didn't look away from the ancient parchment. "Do you really believe I'm ready for this?" she asked, a little scared. No one knows what would really happen if one opens the scroll. Some warriors who came far and wide to take it by force feared opening it, out of fear that the power would be too much for them.

"You are... Lotus." he sounded so sure. So full of hope. He truly believed that she can do this. Her, a simple Physician, be able to wield the power of the Dragon Warrior. If he had faith, then so should she.

She smiled, before is faded as the master approached Oogway's memorial, picked up Oogway's staff and approached the pool. He then started to do some exercised with the staff when he stood a hair away from the pool. Those simple movements had the flower petals move in the water, before Shifu continued and they were swept from the water and into the air, swirling closer and closer towards the golden dragon and the Dragon Scroll. Lotus and the Five watched in awe as Tiger came to stand beside her. Lotus didn't really care right now. Her eyes were fixed of the flying petals.

Until finally, one petal landed on one end of the scroll. It tipped, the new weight sending it down. Shifu thrusted the staff over and the scroll landed upright, the weight making the staff tip and touch the water, creating a single ripple.

Shifu took a deep breathe as he retrieved the scroll from the staff. Lotus took a breathe as well and stepped forward. This was it. Shifu turned to her, a proud smile on his face as he presented the scroll to her.

"Behold, the Dragon Scroll." he said, his tone saying that he was just as awed as he was. "It is yours." Lotus went out to take it, but stopped herself, remembering all those warriors before who feared it. "Wait. What happens when I read it?"

"No-one knows. But legend says you'll be able to hear a butterfly's wing beat and see light in the deepest cave. You will feel the universe in motion around you." Lotus started to look a little excited, but stayed focused. "Read it, Lotus, and fulfill your destiny. Read it and become... the Dragon Warrior." he passed it to her and she held it tightly.

And taking a deep breathe as she gripped the lip, she opened it with a loud pop! Everyone jumped at the sound, a little on edge.

"OK. Here it goes." She warned them, before slowly opening the scroll as everyone else looked on anxiously. Lotus looked upon the scroll, a golden glow admitting from the parchment and lighting up her face.

A few seconds later.

Lotus narrowed her eyes and looked closer, before turning to Shifu, confused and a little freaked out.

"It's blank."

Shifu stumbled. "What?"

"Look." she tried to show it to him, but he edged away. "No! I'm forbidden to look upon..." he couldn't finish that sentence as he snatched the scroll and looked at it himself. What she said was true. It was blank. It only casted his reflection in gold. He closed and opened it again, but nothing changed. He did it again and again and changed the angles, hoping to find whatever was amiss.

But nothing.

"'Blank'? I don't... I don't understand." he turned to them, disheartened as them at the news, but didn't loose hope and continued looking at the scroll. Maybe it was a riddle, or maybe a clue. But Lotus was frustrated. Was it all for nothing then? Tai Lung's training, the Five's training, _her_ training? For a blank piece of paper?!

In her anger, she turns to Shifu, "So, what? Was Grandfather just crazy the entire time?" "No. Oogway was wiser then us all." Lotus snaps.

"Oh, come on!" she spits, "Face it. He picked me by accident. It was always an accident! Of course I'm not the Dragon Warrior." she slumped onto her hindquarters with a frown. "Who was kidding?" Tiger wanted so badly to comfort her, but he shouldn't strain himself, and she would probably just shove him away.

So instead, he asked "But who would stop Tai Lung?" Crane answered him, as Shifu was too busy looking into the pool, saying that he'll destroy everything and everyone. Shifu glared at the pool below him, his resolve clear.

No.

He won't allow that to happen.

"No." he sealed the scroll back into it's case and gave it back to the discouraged tigress. She glared at it hatefully. It was useless in her eyes. All those years of praying for a worthy Warrior to come and gain it's power, only to know that it was just a worthless piece of golden paper.

It was as useless as her now.

"Evacuate the valley. You must protect the villagers from Tai Lung's rage." Tiger frowned.

"What about you, Master?" Shifu shocked them all with what he said next.

"I will fight him."

"What?" Lotus said, not believing what she was hearing.

"I can hold him off long enough for everyone to escape." Lotus spoke up, hoping to reason with him. "Shifu, he'll kill you." Shifu turned to her and smiled sadly. "Then I will finally have paid for my mistake." Lotus and Tiger started to grow sad, as well as the rest of the Five as he turned to face them all.

"Listen to me, all of you. It is time for you to continue your journey without me. I am very proud to have been your Master." he told him, his words true as he bowed to them in respect. The Five and Lotus did the same, before Shifu turned away and stood by the pool to await Tai Lung's inevitable entrance.

Lotus watched him for a while longer. She couldn't believe that he was really doing this. He was going to die, and was content with it just as long as she and the Five get the villagers out safely. Crane pulled and turned her away, before they all crawled, limped and walked away from their Master.

Their Friend.

* * *

 **The Stairwell of the Jade Palace**

The Five came down and watched as the entire village raced to gather all their belongings and get out of their homes. Tiger grew persistent. If he couldn't stop Tai Lung, then he will prevent him from hurting everyone else. Especially Lotus.

"We've got to get them out safely." he told them, before winching at his wounds. Monkey approached a little piglet with a friendly smile, before lifting him up into his arms and cradled her. "Come little one. Let's find your mama." he booped her nose before heading off to find her parents. Tiger turned to Viper and Mantis.

"Viper, gather the southern farmers. Mantis, the north." The two nodded and rushed off, Tiger then turned to Crane. "Crane, light the way." he told him, lifting the lantern for him to take. Crane complied and took off. Tiger hummed in confidence, before helping a mother rabbit carry her wheelbarrow, with her things and children inside. He heard a small clatter and looked up to the stares to see Lotus helping Ping get his cart down the stairs. Lotus turned to him, feeling his eyes on her. They stared at each other for a bit, before she nodded at him. He nodded back and pulled the wheelbarrow forward. Lotus turned back to Ping, dusting him off with a small smile, before lifting the cart and pulling until she was beside Tiger.

The two cats exchanged small smiles, before Lotus spoke.

"You went after Tai Lung because of me, didn't you?" Tiger let out a hollow chuckle.

"You were always the smart one Lotus." Lotus frowned. She didn't find any of this funny. Tiger noticed that she didn't look amused and sighed.

"I couldn't let him hurt you Lotus. You were untrained and inexperienced and were doomed to face a monster. I couldn't just stand idly by." Lotus remained silent, before she shook her head and looked at him dead in the eyes.

"Just promise me that you won't put your life, or the life of our friends in the line again." Tiger stared at her. Surely she knows that there is no way he can keep that promise, especially if it concerned her. "Promise me."

Tiger looked into her beautiful blue eyes, before deciding to ease her.

"I promise."

Lotus nodded, accepting it. Not knowing that Tiger was lying through his teeth.

But, he felt a little lighter. Maybe there was a chance of them at least being friends again after all.

* * *

Some time after Lotus's and Tiger's conversation, they were miles away from the Valley by now and scaling a hill, when Tiger went ahead to help a pig, whose wheelbarrow broke and needed some help getting it back on it's feet. Meanwhile, her burning depression was eating away at her soul. She felt like such a failure, not only to Shifu, the Five and the Valley of Peace, but to Oogway's memory as well. He had so much hope that she could be the Dragon Warrior. But they were both wrong, and Oogway wasn't even here to tell him that she was sorry for letting him down.

"Look. It's the _Dragon Warrior._ " she barely lifted her head to see that the speaker of those mocking words was a peasant pig, who did a sassy movement with his head as he spoke the underlined words, before placing a hand on his hip and shaking his head, as though scolding her for ever thinking she could possibly be the Dragon Warrior. Ping, who was sitting on the cart pulled by Lotus, frowned at the pig, lifting a ladle and got out of the cart and threatening to beat him when Lotus dishearteningly caught the ladle and put it back in a small tin bucket filled with different size ladles. Ping noticed her glum look and patted her back.

"Don't listen to them, Lotus. And don't threat. I already have a new restaurant planned out when we make a permanent stop. Let's face facts, the future of noodles is dice-cut vegetables, no longer slices. And I was thinking, maybe you can get a job there, maybe as a server or something. You like that?" he turned back to her, hoping to see that sweet smile he loved ever since she was a cub, but only saw her down-cast expression.

Ping internally sighed in sadness and approached her slowly. "Lotus, I'm sorry things didn't go the way you thought. Sometimes, there are things that just aren't meant to be." he said in an attempt to console her, but she only turned away and lent against the cart in disappointment. She really thought that she could fight Tai Lung, but maybe Ping was right. There are just some things that aren't meant to be. But that didn't mean it cheered her up, knowing that.

"Lotus, I know that it hurts. But if I know Oogway, and I do, he wouldn't want his little flower to have this kind of behavior. You are his granddaughter. You have destiny running through your veins. It may not be as the Dragon Warrior, but you'll find it somewhere!" he continued, but Lotus didn't look encouraged.

"I don't know, Ping." she said, still not meeting his gaze. "Sometimes, I can't believe Oogway took me in as his granddaughter." Ping gasped, shocked by her words. He never imagined a single day where Lotus wasn't in there lives. If anything, ever since she came to them in that little crate of radishes, the Jade Palace had been so much brighter, even after Tai Lung's corruption. Then he sighed, only thinking of one last thing that could make her feel better.

"Lotus... I think it's time I told you something I should have told you a long time ago."

Lotus looked at him in confusion, before guessing that maybe he was going to tell her where she came from and how she came to the Jade Palace in the first place. "OK?" she leaned in to pay attention.

"It's the secret ingredient of my Secret Ingredient Soup." he told her after looking around, even though the party was long ahead of them now. "Oh." Lotus could only utter, a little disappoint but stayed in hearing distance all the same. Might as well hear him out. Who knows? Maybe she could make some big buck selling the special soup to people to start making a life of her own.

Ping leaned in closer and lowered his voice to a whisper, and still looking around carefully. "The secret ingredient is... nothing."

Lotus blinked. Then looked ahead of her in confusion. "Huh?" was the only thing she could say. Nothing? Was Ping pulling her leg? How can a soup with a secret ingredient have no secret ingredient? She always tasted an whole assortment of flavors whenever she had a bowl of the famous soup and made many attempts to guess the special ingredient when she was little. But nothing? That was it?

"You heard me! Nothing! There is no secret ingredient!" Ping told her excitingly, just happy that all the sadness was gone, even though it was replaced with confusion and bewilderment.

"Wait. Wait a minute. It's just plain old noodle soup?" At Ping's nod, she continued. "You don't some kind of special sauce or something?" Ping shook his head, a teary smile on his face.

"Don't have to." he told her, before getting to explain. "To make something special, you just have to believe it's special. And Oogway believed you were special for the very beginning, now that I think about it." he muttered as an afterthought, but Lotus wasn't paying much attention anymore. She dug back into the cart until that found the scroll, opened it and just stared at herself in the reflection of herself.

Lotus stared at the golden version of herself for a little while longer, before looking up in awe as she realized something.

"There's no secret ingredient..." she spoke softly. She smiled, looking at Ping and lifting him up into her arms and hugging him. Ping laughed, beyond happy that the Lotus he knew and loved was finally back. Though he had no idea what brought this out, he didn't care.

"That's what the scroll was trying to say. Ping! Thank you so much!" Ping laughed awkwardly.

"Your welcome, my dear, but what on earth for?" he asked, and she went to explain, when lighting struck behind the Jade Palace and she looked back at the Valley.

And she knew what to do.

"I have to help Master Shifu."

"What?!" Lotus looked down at the Jade Palace Chef.

"If Tiger asks where I am, I've gone back to the Palace to fight Tai Lung."

"WHAT?!" Ping yelled in horror. That was not what he intended at all. "I have to, Ping. It's..." She paused, before giving a one-shoulder shrug, "It's my destiny." She put the Goose down, got down on her four legs and rushed back down the hill.

"Lotus! Come back!" "I will!"

"LOTUS!"

She was too lost in her new found hope and confidence to pay attention to the Goose's cries, but was pulled out of both when a certain orange and black cat ended up in front of her, his expression saying full on 'no'. But Lotus wasn't going to turn back now.

"Tiger. Don't try to stop me."

Tiger stared back at her, his expression not even flinching, before it weakened and Tiger took a step forward and hugged her tightly to his chest. Lotus was surprised, but then she smiled and wrapped her arms around the tiger master in kind.

"Just please come back. I lost you once, I can't loose you a second time." Tiger begged as they lent back and looked at each other. Lotus smiled.

"You never lost me to begin with. That I promise." giving him a peck on the cheek, she nodded in promise, before continuing down the hill.

It was time to fill in the blank space.

For it had her name written all over it.

* * *

Lotus had just reached the middle of town, not stopping for one second, though the distance she ran really did a number on her energy reserves. But remembering her breathing exercises, she reached the stairs and made her trek up.

When she finally reached the top, she immediately noticed the large crater in the top of the stairs and the blown out doors, but ignored it and leaped over the whole and skidded inside. The Jade Palace was a mess. A set of rhino armor was knocked over, an assortment of sharp objects were either scattered across the floor or embedded in it or even the pillars of the Palace. Rumble of all sorts littered the floor to, from pillar fragments to pieces of roof tiles, and a knocked over lantern, with the blue fire just dying out.

Not too far from Oogway's memorial, the respected tortoise's staff laid broken in two.

But most horrifying, was Shifu, pinned down by the throat on a step to the Moon Pool, gasping for breathe by Tai Lung's grip as the Snow Leopard raised his other hand high, claws unsheathed for the final blow. The killing blow.

"STOP!"

Tai Lung whipped around to the white tiger in rage, before pausing to take her in. She seemed familiar, even with her harsh glare, heavy breathing and air of confidence he had never seen before in a long time. "Let. Him. Go." her voice was deepened in her growl but there was no denying who she was now. Being honest, he berated himself for not figuring it out sooner. He only knew one white tiger, and the fact that this one was female and had those same, iridescent blue eyes made it clear as day for the Dragon master.

"Lotus?" then he chuckled, evilly. Even with the determent stance and the fire in her eyes, he can basically smell the fear she had for him when she was a cub. He relished in it. "My, how you have grown. No wonder little brother put up such a fight." he stood straight and threw Shifu to the ground as he spoke. "Quite a beauty now, aren't you?" Lotus expression stayed the same. "What are you here for?" he laughed to himself, "Here to heal the old man's wounds?" Lotus glared even harder.

"It's 'Dragon Warrior' to you, Tai Lung." she said with a sure tone, fists clenched as she discreetly did a look over at Shifu. His fur was mattered and he looked severely injured. But other then that, he looked fine.

Tai Lung stared, before dissolving into a mocking laughter. "What? 'Little Lotus'? Oh, my Shifu." he looked down at the red panda at his feet, smirking cruelly, "You and Oogway must have been desperate. What exactly do you think you will do to me, pretty one? Scratch me?" he chuckled at the end.

"Don't tempt me. But you have a point. Me making a mark on you is a bit of a stretch. But it might be possible with... _this_ little thingamabob right here." she said in a teasing manner as she revealed the scroll from behind her back.

Tai Lung looked in shock and awe. The Dragon Scroll! Finally! He stood straighter to demand it, when Lotus spun around and threw it as hard and high as possible, where it spun in the air, closer to the steps and closer to the village down below. She looked at him mockingly.

"Fetch!"

He bent down and started to bound towards the stairs, rushing past Lotus, not even caring for that mischievous smirk when he leaped into the air to grab it, when he felt a yank on his tail, stopping him midair and making him fall with a thud on the first steps and forced to watch as the scroll's casing clattered on the steps and started bouncing down the stairs easily.

Lotus stepped on the snow leopard's head and made to run downstairs on her fours, when Tai Lung did the same thing as she did and grabbed her tail, only his result was to tumble down the stairs in a ball of grey, white and black fur. Throwing punches and headbutting each other as they went, Tai Lung yelled in anger.

"That scroll is mine!"

"Prove it, jackass!" Lotus shouted back as she banged her forehead against his own, stunning him and admittingly herself as well as they fell and bounced continuously. They eventually came to a stop when they crashed through the gateway arch at the foot of the miles of stairs and separated. Lotus landed in a cart, and ended up covered in ribbons, getting an idea as she remembered her times ribbon dancing with Viper.

Tai Lung landed not to far away and struggled to get on top of the roof so he could reach the scroll, which was on the roof as he was. He roof jumped and went to snatch it from the air when a silk red ribbon snatched it first and whipped towards the tigress. Unfortunately, she didn't take account to the speed it would be coming at her and it ricochet of her head and into the air once more. She stared up after it and Tai Lung came up beside her and made a leap. Finding this familiar when trying to get the dumpling from Shifu, she grabbed his feet and pulled him down, doing a titter-totter action to a wheelbarrow she had landed on in her jump to catch him and ended up catapulted into the air.

Tai Lung could only stare at her flying form in bewilderment as she laughed. What on earth was with this woman? The Scroll landed in a hanging lantern while she landed at the very entrance to the bamboo forest and tumbled out pretty quickly.

The scroll fell out of the lantern and into the street. Tai Lung landing right near it.

Lotus gasped, before noticing the pots she had knocked over.

Tai Lung's smile was wide as he reached for the scroll, only for a iron pan to hit him square in the face, blinding him, and making an etch in the pan. By the time he threw the pan off, there were now a dozen of them on the ground, all identical and under one of them, the scroll hide under.

Lotus got over there, and with amazing speed that Tai Lung's eye found impossible, starting shuffling the pots on the floor. Lotus laughed at Tai Lung's distressed look as his sickening yellow eyes flickered to each blur on the floor, before he decided enough was enough and with one leg sweep, cleared the floor and revealed the Dragon Scroll.

Lotus growled in frustration as the two started a small brawl, before Tai Lung scratched her cheek, leaving her open, but Tai Lung used that time to pick up the scroll, but only for a split second. With a growl of anger, she roar and uppercut him. Causing him to temporarily drop the scroll, and before it could hit the ground once more, Lotus did an aerial roundhouse kick, sending the scroll flying down the street.

Tai Lung roared in fury at her interference, and did a spin and kneed her in the stomach so hard, she was sent flying as well into a cart of fireworks. The Snow Leopard had already started running towards scroll, when he heard a deranged cry of joy coming closer and closer, looking behind him to see Lotus had somehow gotten all the fireworks to go and, like a rocket, was shooting faster then him and went right underneath him, knocking him into the air as Lotus leaned over and off the cart and swiped the scroll from the ground.

She laughed out of pure achievement, but then her cart hit a rock by the bridge, sending her shooting towards a house and hitting the rock hard wall. Lotus groaned, before realizing the scroll wasn't in her hand anymore and was sitting neatly in the mouth of a stone Chinese dragon head, much like it was the afternoon before.

She let a worried sound, turning her head toward the Leopard, who had just skidded to a stop on the floor. Tai Lung saw the Scroll in the stone dragon mouth and made a beeline towards the tigress and the scroll.

Tai Lung watched in awe as Lotus effortlessly scaled the walls of the stone hut to reach the scroll. Never in his life of knowing the little tigress had her claws had been sharp enough to rip fabric, never mind scale stone. His eyes flickered to the scroll and immediately assumed an explanation as to why this could be.

"The scroll has given her power!" he shouted in horror. Was that even a thing? Does the scroll choose whoever it believed worthy of it's power. If that is so, then he must put an end to this.

Right. NOW!

"NO!" he leaped over the bridge water, reaching the house in a millisecond, and his foot slammed so hard against the wall, the whole house started to crumble, as cracks started to spread like spiderwebs. The pressure must have been too much for the stone head, for it snapped, sending the scroll into the air once more. Lotus watched it, before looking down at the brimstone dust.

Tai Lung's snarling face appeared, threatening and promising to kill.

Lotus gasped in fear, the adrenaline propelling her to keep going, kicking roof tiles into the leopard's face as she hopped once... twice... thrice...

She snatched it out of the air. She laughed, not noticing the furious Dragon Style Master leaping into the air, sending a downward kick onto her back, sending her pummeling to the ground. Using the momentum he got from that kick, he let out a battle cry as he spiraled downward, fists raised forward and struck home.

A ripple effect of dust shot across the entire valley, before clearing to show the leopard carefully getting to his feet, and staggering back away from the white tigress. He let out a small laugh, before dissolving into a series of evil chuckles as he looked upon the battered cat.

"You fought well. Defiantly an improvement from when you were a cub." he commented as he looked upon the tigress. He slowly kneeled down, moving her head towards him, just as Lotus slowly opened her eyes and looked up at him, not moving a inch of her body, for everything was hurting right now, but that didn't stop the fire of hate from reaching her eyes as vision cleared to see the master a little too close for comfort.

"Oh, good. Still alive. For after I kill Shifu and remodel this Valley into my own kingdom, I have _very_ 'special ideas' on what your role could be in my empire." at this, Lotus growled lowly, only serving at making the leopard chuckle as he stood up and walked towards the scroll. Lotus made a fruitless effort to reach for it, as Tai Lung picked it up and sighed in desirable relief.

"Finally. Oh, yes." he chuckled, pride and joy in his evil eyes as he clutched to the scroll like it was the most precious jewel you could ever hold. He ripped the top open and emptied the capsule, letting the scroll slide into his open palm. "The power of the Dragon Scroll is... MINE!"

He opened it, only to reveal the dark truth, it's blank, golden surface only showing his reflection. The smile was still on his face, as though expecting words to just materialize before him, but nothing happened. His smile faltered, and he closed the scroll, much like Shifu did previously, but nothing had changed.

His voice sounded so confused and despaired that Lotus almost felt sorry for him as she slowly stood up. Almost. Tai Lung looked to her, immediately thinking that she was responsible for this, before she looked to him, now in a kneeling position as she coughed the dust and droplets of blood out of her lung.

"Settle down, I didn't get it first time either." she coughed a little more, as Tai Lung looked at it, before turning back to her. Didn't get it at first? What the hell did that mean?!

"What?" Lotus flinched as she rose to her full height. "Ultimate power doesn't come from a piece of paper, Tai Lung. There's no secret ingredient." distressed, confused and a little frustrated, Tai Lung tossed the scroll to the floor, letting it roll open and show Lotus's reflection.

"It's just you." she told him, looking at the Scroll with a smile.

She believed.

The moment she looked upon the gold surface of the scroll after Ping told her the 'big secret', everything just clicked into place. Many masters have founded their own way of Kung Fu, creating their own styles based on their species. And one thing they all had in common was that they believed in themselves. And that's what made them great. That's what made Tai Lung great. He always believed he was the true Dragon Warrior, therefore, had the power of the Scroll all along. He just didn't know it.

But she does. She figured it out. And she was glad she did.

Tai Lung still looked stunned and confused, before he started to look angry, before angry went to furious. All his training... all this way... all his pain and betrayal... for nothing! He turned his rage to the only one he felt responsible for this. The white tigress in front of her.

With a roar-like scream, he lunged forward with a nerve attack, and hit Lotus square in the chest above her v-neck vest. But rather then having the desired result, she felt as though she was pushed if anything. It felt like she was merely tickled by the chi-based attack.

They stood there, stunned, before Tai Lung did it again twice. When it didn't work, only making her giggle, as though he hit a funny bone, he tried the other hand, but she only giggled some more. Again and again, but it didn't hurt her. It was like she was immune for some reason.

Letting out another yell of anger, he resorted to just punching her with both fists in unison. That one knocked the breath out of her. And so, eyes glowing gold for a second, she retaliated, and did the same move, only she knocked him much farther back then he did, right into the arch of a doorway into a restaurant. Lotus stared at the now crumbled arch, then at her hands. She smiled as she flexed them.

A growl returned her focus to the leopard, as he leaped from to dust to the crater in the ground and thrusted a punch toward her, only she diverted it away with a sweep of her hand, using the same appendage to to block another punch. She then leaned her head back as Tai Lung tried to hit her with an aerial kick. He preformed a high kick towards her head, but she blocked it and then stepped on it when it hit the floor. Tai Lung grunted as he held the harmed limb, hopping a little as Lotus laughed.

The Dragon Style master threw to more punches as Lotus followed him up and out of the crater, catching both punches, and then blocking a kick to the side of her head. Tai Lung looked to the ground, distressed and looking for an opening, only leaving himself open and Lotus limply but forcefully slapped him upside the chin. Tai Lung threw another aerial, but the tigress caught it, and smirked at him, making him uneasy, before she slammed him behind her, jumping on his head, and then grabbed his tail. She forced him up and into the air, and headbutted him sending him back, only to pull him back towards her and the fight. She flung him around, and in an attempt to free himself, made to throw a kick.

Lotus stepped away and wrapped his own tail around his limb and threw him around her once more. Tai Lung sent a kick, but Lotus blocked it with his tail, making a rubber bang **_TWANG!_** sound, as Tai Lung threw two more punches. Lotus dodged the first, and blocked the other with the tail, before putting it out in front of her as a shield as Tai Lung made a go for her neck with his teeth, though they only came into contact with his tail.

He let out a squeak, before yelling in pain, as Lotus once more pulled him towards her, doing an aerial kick of her own and hitting him twice in the head. Tugging him back, she gave a mighty kick that sent him tumbling and into another house.

Lotus winched, though a smug smile was on her face. That had to hurt.

The leopard got up, swaying a little as he turned to her, his fur starting to become mattered and unkempt as he made to charge right at her. Lotus smirked, taking a step back and clenching her fist. She waited, until Tai Lung was at close enough range and then did a backflip in the air, kicking him up the face and sending him up into the sky, up to the point where Lotus couldn't even see his speck.

She smiled as she watched the golden colored clouds and waited for the leopard to make a reappearance. Though he was certainly taking his time. She frowned in confusion and pondered. Did she kick him out into the atmosphere?

She was pulled out of her pondering when she could hear Tai Lung's scream, rapidly getting closer and closer, threatening to crush her under his force. She took about three steps back, just as Tai Lung went _through_ the street, creating a geyser of dirt and dust, making her lean away and shut her eyes to prevent said dust from getting into them.

When the dust geyser stopped, she looked down at the snow leopard shaped hole in the ground, that must be several feet deep. There was even a tail mark in said hole. Tai Lung's sluggish yet determent voice echoed out of the hole.

"You... can't defeat me." Lotus took a step back as the cat clambered out of the hole, swaying brutally on his feet, as he turned to the tigress. "You..." he paused, falling on his fours to catch his breath, before hoisting himself back up. Lotus took a look at him. His fur was all over the place, his right eye was almost shut closed. His whiskers were no longer kept in a mustache formation, broken and in zigzag patterns on his face.

But other then that, he was generally OK.

"You're just a frail... weak... tiger!" he made for a sloppy hit, though Lotus caught it with just her thumb and index finger. Lotus looked at the heavily breath leopard calmly and strictly.

"I thought we went over this, Tai." she said, calling by the nickname that she used when she was a cub and before Tai Lung was completely corrupt. "I'm the Dragon Warrior."

And then, she lifted her pinkie, making Tai Lung's eyes widen in fear. He pointed to it fearfully. "The Wuxi Finger Hold!" Lotus smirked, "Oh, you know this hold? Then you also know that the hardest thing about this hold it cleaning up afterwards."

"You're bluffing. You're bluffing! Shifu didn't teach you that!" Tai Lung called out, fear dancing in his eyes and voice as he tried to call her bluff. Lotus shrugged. "Nope." Tai Lung smiled hopefully, before Lotus dashed it with what she said next.

"Oogway did. Could never understand why he did though. I guess he wanted me to be prepared for whenever I had to use it." she smirked once more, "And what do ya know?" she said cheerfully, before her eyes glowed gold as she did the final move.

She flexed her pinkie.

"Boom."

* * *

A wave of gold shot from the center of the valley and raced as far as it can go, including the leaving villagers, before they turned to the noise and shielded themselves as a gust of wind went past them and continued to wherever it was going.

After the ripple of gold vanished from their sight, Tiger stood up straight with the bunny child in his arms, before he realized something. His side wasn't in pain anymore. When he took a look at the others, he saw that they looked just as bewildered, probably thinking the same thing.

Crane's neck and wing was all better, and apart from losing his hat, looked brand new. Viper's bones were fixed and straightened out and the claw marks on her slender body were gone. Mantis looked much better and so did Monkey.

It was as if whatever that wave was filled with cured them of their wounds.

And Tiger knew why.

"Lotus."

* * *

After Tiger announced they were going back to the village, everyone was both happy and scared. What if that ripple was a ploy by Tai Lung to lure them back so he can enslave them all? But Tiger was confident. He knew that was Lotus. When the wave hit him, he immediately recognized it's warmth. It's light.

The villagers and the Five looked around at all the mess that was created from the battle from merely an hour ago. Many children coughed, for the dust from the wave still lingered, and many kids also laughed as they hopped onto the rumble, not understanding the depth of the situation.

Tiger was glad to see that only a majority of the buildings were damaged in the obvious fight that took place and that they were able to get the villagers out of town before said fight. But where was Lotus? Was she okay? Was she hurt?! Or worse...?

"Look!" Tiger and the other villagers looked up at the pig's call, to see a cat shaped figure walking calmly towards them. Everyone stood on edge, ready to run while the rest of the Five prepared to fight just in case. But Tiger stood calm and on his ground.

It had to be...

And from the dust, Tiger looked into the bright _blue_ eyes that he loved so much.

There stood Lotus, safe, unharmed, victorious and most of all, smiling. At him.

The villagers around them cheered, as many ran forward to congratulate her up close. Some pigs even lifted them up on their shoulders for a brief moment, before setting her back down, just as a certain goose pushed past the Tiger Master, though right now, Tiger didn't mind. He was too wrapped up in his joy to care that he had just been shoved. And by the noodle loving goose no less. All that mattered right now was that the Valley was safe. His dreaded brother was gone. And Lotus was safe and sound.

"That's my girl! I raised this amazing, lovely Kung Fu warrior!" Lotus smiled warmly at the goose, before they came forward to each other and embraced.

"Thank you so much, Ping." they pulled back, and Ping wiped a tear away from his eye as he looked at her with joy. "Oogway would be really proud of his Flower. Just as I am." Lotus smiled, a single tear running down her cheek, that the goose wiped away, making her laugh.

Then she saw Tiger, and the rest of the Five and stood up as looked at her, faces of happiness and praise.

"Hey guys." Tiger stood forward, before stopping and then bowing respectfully to her.

"Master Lotus." the Five copied his action, "Master." pretty soon the entire village bowed with respect.

Lotus smiled, before her eyes widened as she realized.

"Master Shifu!" turning to the steps of Jade Palace, she ran on her fours to the palace. She had to make sure he was alright.

It took a while, but she eventually reached the palace and entered, stopping halfway through the hall as she looked at the unconscious form of the red panda. But just as the Five had healed from the blast, so had Shifu. His fur was smooth, his scars, bruises and broken bones were no more. But still, the unconscious form of the Master still struck fear into her heart.

"Master! Shifu! Shifu, are you OK?!" she ran to him and cradled his head in her hand as she gently turn him to his side. He woke up as though he had been in a short coma, and not because he received a brutal beating from a deranged leopard. He looked up at her and smiled in awe and that made her feel more at ease.

"Lotus. You're alive... Or we're both dead." he finished as an afterthought, making Lotus chuckle.

"No, Master. We're both very much alive. Tai Lung is gone. I defeated him."

"You did?" Lotus nodded, and Shifu let out a sigh of wonder. "Wow. It is as Oogway foretold." he said, before looking into her eyes. "You are the Dragon Warrior." that soft smile brightened as he said that. "You have brought peace to this Valley. And..." he paused. "And to me. Thank you. Thank you, Lotus." he said, before closing his eyes.

Lotus frowned. He was still breathing. So what was going on? "Master?" she said after a few seconds.

"Fret not, Dragon Warrior. I'm simply at peace. Finally." he spoke, keeping his eyes closed as he straightened himself on the floor and placed his hands on his stomach. He really did look peaceful. Lotus sighed, and chuckled, relieved.

"Then I suppose I should stop talking?" she said in a joking tone. Shifu's smirked was barely noticeable, but it was there. Lotus chuckled and just sat there in a relaxed position with a relaxed expression. Before she frowned. Something was boggling her, and she felt like something was amiss.

"Master?" Shifu sighed, a little bothered, but not too much. "Yes?" "Are you experiencing any pain?" there was a moment of silence, before he replied. "I feel exhausted, but other then that, but other then that, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"

"I think it has something to do with the move I used to defeat Tai Lung." Shifu opened his eyes and looked at her confused. "What do you mean? What move?"

"The Wuxi Finger Hold." Shifu's eyes widened in wonder. "You used a Chi-based move?" at Lotus's nod, he looked thoughtful. "Strange. It took me years to master that move perfectly, and you used it once and no negative side effects." Lotus nodded once more, and he looked to her, "Where did you learn it?"

"Oogway taught it too me some time after Monkey first came to the Jade Palace. He said one day, I might need it. I thought he was just talking in case I get mugged, but after some recent study, I was in the dark for why he would teach me it. Then I thought about my 'power surges'." Shifu watched her, his own expression thoughtful as she continued. "What if that has something to do with it?"

They were silent for a moment, before Lotus chuckled. "What are we doing?" at Shifu's confused looked, she continued. "Here we are, talking about serious matters when we should be celebrating and talking about fixing the damages to the Valley and the Palace." Shifu chuckled, realizing her point. But he'll have to remember to look into what Lotus said sometime. It might be important.

"Can you stand?" after a minute of merely lifting his head, he uttered no. So carefully, Lotus picked him up. "How about I take you to your room so you can rest up, while Ping makes you some Secret Ingredient Soup." Shifu smiled.

"That sounds like a splendid idea, Lotus."

* * *

After Lotus and Mantis gave Shifu a proper checkup and a day of calming down and relaxing from the ordeal, Lotus went to the village with most of the Five, helping rebuild the damages made by her and Tai Lung's fight, while the rest of the Five assisted with repairing the Jade Palace. Crane, Monkey and Viper handled the Palace, while Lotus, Tiger and Mantis manned the village. It took two more days to completely repair everything, but they managed to fix it.

Pretty soon the village and the Palace was repaired and everyone was back to their everyday lives. The Five did their usual relaxation hobbies and Shifu took over as Headmaster of the Jade Palace. And as well as relaxing, Shifu fixed Oogway's staff and had a statue of him made in the Master's Garden.

And while that was taken place, Lotus and Tiger took some time to really talk and as fate would have it, they reconciled and rekindled the friendship they had. Though Tiger still hopes for something more one day.

But Lotus still wasn't at peace.

As she sat on the floor in the ancient library, skimming through the fifteenth scroll for something, anything, her mind wandered to when she told Shifu about using the Wuxi Finger Hold to defeat Tai Lung. The way Shifu looked so amazed and confused when she mentioned using a Chi-based move, it had her mind ticking with all sorts of unanswered questions. Where did she come from? How did she get here? Where is her birth family? How could she used a Chi-based move when Shifu told her it took him years to preform it perfectly?

And more importantly.

"Who am I?"

She hopes that the answers come soon. And if she'll have to wait twenty years, then so be it.

* * *

 **And there we go! The end of Kung Fu White Tiger part 1 of the trilogy. I hope to see you soon when part 2 comes out.**


End file.
